The members of the Security Council held urgent consultations to address the highly provocative launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The missile flew over Japan on 14 September 2017, less than three weeks after the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan on 28 August 2017, less than two weeks after the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea conducted a test of an advanced nuclear device on 3 September 2017, and only three days after the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2375 (2017).
The members of the Security Council strongly condemned these launches, condemned further the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for its outrageous actions, and demanded that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea immediately cease all such actions. The Security Council expressed its grave concern that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is, by conducting such a launch over Japan, as well as its recent actions and public statements, deliberately undermining regional peace and stability and have caused grave security concerns around the world. The Security Council stressed that these Democratic People’s Republic of Korea actions are not just a threat to the region, but to all United Nations Member States.
The Security Council stressed, therefore, that all Member States must fully, comprehensively, and immediately implement all relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 2375 (2017) and 2371 (2017). The Security Council also emphasized the vital importance of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea immediately showing sincere commitment to denuclearization through concrete action and stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
The Security Council demanded that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea comply with resolutions 1695 (2006), 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013), 2270 (2016), 2321 (2016), 2356 (2017), 2371 (2017) and 2375 (2017), as well as the statements of its President of 6 October 2006 (S/PRST/2006/41), 13 April 2009 (S/PRST/2009/7), 16 April 2012 (S/PRST/2012/13) and 29 August 2017 (S/PRST/2017/16) by suspending all activities related to its ballistic missile programme, and in this context, re-establish its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on missile launches.
The Security Council reiterates the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in North-East Asia at large, expresses its commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation, and welcomes efforts by Council members, as well as other States, to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue.