N. Korea claims ‘U.S. is behind’ upcoming UN Security Council meeting on SLBM

Kim Song, North Korean ambassador to the United Nations, strongly opposed a UN Security Council meeting to be held at the UN headquarters in New York with regards to North Korea’s recent launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

“We will not sit back and watch this dangerous attempt. We know well that the United States is behind impure moves of the UK, France, and Germany,” Kim was quoted by The Associated Press and Reuters. “The United States and its followers should bear in mind that if they raise the issue of our self-defensive measures at the UN Security Council meeting in this moment, it will further urge our desire to defend our sovereignty.” To a question asking about the possibility for additional missile tests, the North Korean ambassador answered, “Please carefully watch what we will do in the future. It does not mean the launch of another missile.”

North Korea’s ballistic missile launch is in violation of the UN Security Council resolution. Such sensitive reaction by North Korea is interpreted as an attempt to prevent additional sanctions by the Security Council while holding on to the U.S.-North Korea negotiation channel, even after the breakdown of their talks in Stockholm.

“The U.S. is committed wholeheartedly to the final and fully verified denuclearization of North Korea,” said Robert Wood, U.S. Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament. “(The U.S.-North Korea working-level) talks in Stockholm were positive. We are ready to participate in negotiations two weeks later.”

Lee Do-hoon, South Korea’s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, visited Washington to share information on the denuclearization working-level talks in Stockholm and discuss with U.S. counterparts. “Both sides have the possibility for continuous conversation open,” Lee told reporters at the airport. “It’s always challenging in the beginning but what matters is how to build things from here.”

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has not made any comment for three days after the fallout of the talks. Some foreign affairs and security experts in Washington say that the U.S. policy on North Korea may fail. “Both the U.S. and North Korea are playing the ‘game of chicken’ waiting for the other party to give in,” said Frank Aum, a senior expert on North Korea at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington.


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