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| Volume 52 Number 28, November 19, 2022 | ARCHIVE | HOME | JBCENTRE | SUBSCRIBE |
Kim Son Gyong, vice-minister for International
Organisations of the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea
On the afternoon November 4, The UN Security Council conducted an "open briefing" [1] on the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the behest of "the UK and the US" as well as "Albania, France, Ireland and Norway". The briefing "included Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will participate in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure". In the way that the Anglo-US imperialist powers dominate the proceedings of the UN, no mention is made of inviting the DPRK to the briefing which was called by the US "after the DPRK conducted missile tests on 2 November and 3 November". While the briefing was forced to refer to the fact that the "tests came days" after the US and the ROK began a series of "training drills" known as "Vigilant Storm", which involves "hundreds of ROK and US warplanes" there was no referral to the significance of these US military provocations on the Korean Peninsula but rather echoing the US claims that these were "defensive" for the United States. Also it should be noted, the US used the briefing to arrogantly announce "that 'Vigilant Storm', which was due to end on 4 November, will be extended indefinitely".
Whilst there was no conclusion to the briefing (the report admits that Russia and China in particular would not agree to the US position), Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General said on November 4 that the "Secretary-General reiterates his calls on the DPRK to immediately desist from taking any further provocative action". A similar statement was issued by the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Minister of State, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, "condemning the latest missile tests by The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 3 November". In their statements the Secretary General of the UN and Britain made no mention of the provocative war exercises of the US that have been conducted on an ongoing basis on the Korean peninsula and which are to continue "indefinitely".
In a press statement on November 8, Kim Son Gyong, vice-minister for International Organisations of the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said:
"I express strong regret at the fact that the UN secretary general issued a statement on November 4 groundlessly pulling up the DPRK over its just counteraction for self-defence to cope with the US military provocations, and categorically reject it.
"The DPRK Foreign Ministry has already clarified that the military drills for counteraction conducted by the Korean People's Army were a due reaction to the largest-ever combined air drill staged by the US and south Korea.
"This being a hard fact, the UN secretary general is echoing what the White House and the State Department say as if he were their mouthpiece, which is deplorable.
"Who committed the provocation and who is to be blamed for it?
"If the war drills being staged in a frantic manner by openly introducing an aircraft carrier and strategic bombers against the sovereign state are described as 'defensive' and the exercise of the just right to self-defence to cope with them is branded as 'provocation', the UN, whose most important mission is to maintain global peace and security, will lose its justification for existence.
"Being the chief of the UN, a world-wide body, he should remain faithful to the mission and universal value of the UN which regards equity and objectivity as its lifeblood, and should not be biased towards the interests and views of a big power or a small group in judging and dealing with all matters.
"I think that the unfair and prejudiced behaviour of the UN secretary general is to blame to some extent for the situation on the Korean peninsula getting so serious."
The statement concludes.
"If the UN secretary general truly wants to contribute to maintaining the world peace and stability, he would be well advised to stop dancing blindly to the tune of others and focus on getting rid of the source of provocation with correct insight."
Note
1. DPRK (North Korea): Open Briefing - Security Council Report
- November 4, 2022
https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2022/11/dprk-north-korea-open-briefing-2.php