December 18, 2024
Madam President,
I wish first and foremost to thank the Under-Secretary-General, Ms DiCarlo, for her briefing to the Council, and Mr. Leff for his statement.
Madam President,
For many long months, it has been clear that North Korea has been complicit in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Large scale military support for the Russian war effort has been provided. In addition to the provision of large quantities of munitions and artillery systems, it has been demonstrated that North Korean ballistic missiles are being used to strike at Ukraine, as was the case in Kharkiv last January, and in July, and August. France condemns the transfer and use of these weapons, which constitute grave violations of Security Council resolutions which were adopted with Russia’s support. This poses a direct threat to European and international security.
North Korean support for Russian aggression has traversed a new threshold with the deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia and their engagement alongside Russian armed forces. France condemns in the strongest terms the direct engagement of these troops, which represents an unacceptable escalation and dangerous spread of the conflict.
It is clear that the growing North Korean military support reflects difficulties encountered by Russia, which is desperately seeking to pursue its war of aggression, with the nefarious consequences of which we are aware, for the entire international community.
Madam President,
The increase in illicit military cooperation between Russia and North Korea also poses a grave challenge to the international non-proliferation regime, which is one of the fundamental pillars of our collective security. In exchange for the military support which it receives, Russia is now helping to provide impunity and assistance for the illegal weapons of mass destruction programs of North Korea.
Last March, Russia alone cast a veto for the extension of the panel of experts for the 1718 Committee. Thereby, Russia stripped all member states of the opportunity to receive vital information from a vital source on the implementation of Security Council resolutions. Last September, the Russian Foreign Minister crossed a new threshold by qualifying North Korea’s denuclearization as a “closed” issue. These remarks unacceptably undermine the goals set out in Security Council resolutions of the complete, verifiable and irreversible abandonment of North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs.
When its missiles are used to strike civilian populations and infrastructure in Ukraine, North Korea receives information about their performance, which it can then use to develop its ballistic program. In the future, these missiles could be used in other theaters and could be used as delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons. We cannot but be concerned at the fact that there may be other forms of compensation that Pyongyang could demand in terms of military and technological assistance for its large-scale weapons of mass destruction programs in exchange for its complicity in this war of aggression.
Madam President,
It is incumbent upon the Russian Federation to comply with the obligations it has assumed as a permanent member of the Security Council.
We therefore urge, once again, Russia to end its war of aggression. We urge both Russia and North Korea to comply with their international obligations, specifically when it comes to Security Council resolutions. We urge North Korea to resume a dialogue, with a view to achieving complete, irreversible, and verifiable denuclearization. We reaffirm our determination to support Ukraine as it defends its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Thank you.