On Tuesday 19 December, the EU and the G7 countries condemned the launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Monday 18 December, following four other ICBM launches this year and other launches using ballistic missile technology.
“The DPRK must cease these illegal and dangerous launches, which blatantly violate UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) and undermine international peace and security as well as the global non-proliferation regime”, said the European Union in a statement.
It reiterated that the DPRK cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear weapon state in accordance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and considers it essential that all UN Member States, especially the members of the Security Council, urge the DPRK to return to meaningful dialogue and ensure the full implementation of UN sanctions.
The EU also calls on the DPRK and Russia to refrain from any exchange of military equipment, missile technology or ammunition and condemns any military support by the DPRK for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)