Ambassador Andrés Montalvo Sosa condemned the launch of a military reconnaissance satellite by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 21 November, a new provocative act that flagrantly violates Security Council resolutions, undermines international disarmament and non-proliferation architecture and “fans the flames of regional tensions”.
Noting that Pyongyang has carried out a record number of ballistic missile tests in 2023, he invited Member States — especially the co-sponsors of the two resolutions recently adopted in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) — to promote them.
Citing article 25 of the Charter of the United Nations, he appealed to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to respect and comply with its obligations, including under Council resolutions, urging it to refrain from further launches of military reconnaissance satellites or ballistic missiles, as well as to immediately halt its nuclear weapons development programme.