1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with Ambassadors to the UN from member states of the UN Security Council in New York on February 9 and 10. In the meetings, the diplomats discussed ways to respond to North Korea’s provocations, including its fourth nuclear test and launch of a long-range missile.

2. On February 9, Minister Yun met with Ambassadors Matthew Rycroft and Francois Delattre from the UK and France, both of which are permanent member states of the UN Security Council. In the meeting, the Minister asked the UK and France to play active roles as permanent member states of the UN Security Council in the adoption of a tough and effective Security Council resolution on North Korea for conducting a nuclear test and launching a long-range missile in habitual violation of the UN Security Council resolutions and disregard for the UN authority.

° UK Ambassador Rycroft, calling North Korea’s development of nuclear capability a serious issue threatening the entire international community, stated that the UK will work closely with its major allies, including the Republic of Korea, for the Security Council to adopt a strong resolution as soon as possible.

° Likewise, French Ambassador Delattre called North Korea’s provocations a flagrant challenge to the Security Council and an issue on which the future of the international non-proliferation regime hinges. He stressed that the ROK and France share the exactly same position regarding the adoption of a strong Security Council resolution on North Korea.

3. On February 10, Minister Yun met with Ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno from Venezuela, which holds the Security Council presidency for February. In the meeting, the Minister mentioned that North Korea’s recent nuclear test and launch of a long-range missile are seriously threatening international peace and security. He asked Venezuela to exert leadership as the country holding the presidency of the Security Council for February for an early adoption of a Security Council resolution on North Korea.

° In response, Ambassador Ramirez stated that, as already mentioned in the telephone conversation between the Foreign Ministers of the ROK and Venezuela, Venezuela is opposed to nuclear weapons and its basic policy calls for compliance with the UN Charter and the Security Council resolutions. He added that as the country holding the Security Council presidency, Venezuela will play a role necessary for expediting the adoption of a resolution.

4. Later on February 10, Minister Yun met with the Ambassadors to the UN from Angola, Egypt, Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine and Uruguay, all of which are non-permanent member states of the UN Security Council. In the meeting, the Minister commended member states of the Security Council for issuing united, strong press statements on the heels of North Korea’s nuclear test and launch of a long-range missile. He asked these countries to cooperate for a prompot adoption of a tough and effective Security Council resolution.

° In addition, the Minister stressed that in order to stop North Korea from habitually violating the Security Council resolutions and particularly from conducting its fifth and sixth nuclear tests, it is important to respond to the recent North Korean provocations with a stern resolve to make the forthcoming resolution a terminating one.

5. In response, the eight aforementioned member states of the Security Council extended appreciation to Minister Yun for having bilateral telephone conversations with the foreign ministers of the countries and meeting their Ambassadors in person to give an explanation. The Ambassadors shared the view that the Security Council needs to take stern measures in response to North Korea’s nuclear test and launch of a long-range missile. They added that given the gravity of the issue, they will work closely with the ROK.

6. In the wake of North Korea’s nuclear test on January 6, Minister Yun held telephone consultations with the foreign ministers of the 15 member states of the Security Council. During his visit to New York, he met with the entire group of the Ambassadors to the UN from those 15 countries. The member states of the Security Council commented that the unprecedented visit to the UN by the Foreign Minister of the ROK, a country directly involved in North Korean issues, to give an explanation, served as an opportunity to raise their awareness on the gravity of the issue and thereby to build a consensus on the need for the adoption of a strong and effective resolution.


* unofficial translation