UNO: On Friday, the US charged China and Russia with obstructing a coordinated UN Security Council response to North Korea's missile launches, including Pyongyang's attempt to launch a spy satellite on Thursday.
All but Moscow and Beijing spoke out against Pyongyang's second spy satellite test in three months, which made use of ballistic missile technology, at a special Security Council meeting.
"This should be a topic that brings us together. But due to obstructionism from China and Russia, this Council has fallen short of its obligations since the start of 2022, according to US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the North's official name, is a growing threat to international peace and security, and Russia and China are failing to uphold their obligations to do so, she continued. Thomas-Greenfield also criticised the Chinese and Russian representatives who attended a military parade in North Korea last month that displayed brand-new drones and intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.
Moscow and Beijing, according to Thomas-Greenfield, "are celebrating — celebrating — violations of Security Council resolutions and continuing to block Council action."
China and Russia's vetoes of a resolution imposing fresh sanctions on Pyongyang in May 2022 prevented the Security Council from passing any subsequent resolutions or statements regarding North Korea.
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In 2017, the Security Council's unanimous decision on North Korea was last implemented. Representatives from China and Russia claimed that US military exercises with South Korea were to blame for North Korea's aggressive behaviour.
North Korea has long maintained that both its satellite programme and its nuclear programme are being developed for self-defense.
According to North Korea's ambassador, Kim Song, "our launch of the reconnaissance satellite is an exercise of the legitimate right to self defence to deter ever-increasing hostile military acts of the United States," adding that his nation has never recognised UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea anyway.
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Thomas-Greenfield disagreed with that viewpoint. We all understand the reality: The DPRK prioritises its own egotistical interests over the desperate needs of the North Korean people. Repression and cruelty are the fuel that the DPRK's war machine runs on, Thomas-Greenfield continued. "It's dishonourable and a serious threat to world peace,"