In a statement issued by the Council of the EU on Thursday 23 November, the European Union strongly condemned the launch of a military satellite using ballistic missile technology by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 21 November, calling it “a clear threat to global peace and security” and “a flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions”.
The EU called on the DPRK to put an end to all illegal actions which aggravate regional military tensions and urged UN Member States to promote dialogue between all parties and to ensure the full implementation of UN sanctions with a view to the DPRK’s abandonment of all its nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missile programmes and existing nuclear programmes.
The day before, the G7 foreign ministers also condemned the launch in a joint statement.
They disapproved of North Korea’s arms transfers to Russia and said they were “deeply concerned” by the possibility of nuclear or ballistic missile technology being transferred to North Korea, “which would further threaten the peace and stability of the region and the entire world”.
The EU has also expressed its solidarity with the Republic of Korea and Japan. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)