Korea at UN: Russia exploits veto to undermine non-proliferation regime

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, who spoke at the UN Security Council’s open debate Russia is using its veto power as a permanent member of the UNSC to destroy the international non-proliferation regime.

That’s according to Yonhap, Ukrinform reports.

"Adding to the frustration is the fact that the Russian Federation obtains arms and munitions from North Korea in flagrant violation of multiple council resolutions, while using its veto power to undermine the international non-proliferation regime," Cho said.

The top diplomat was referring to Moscow's March veto of a UNSC resolution on what had been a routine annual extension of the mandate of a U.N. expert panel tasked with monitoring violations of anti-Pyongyang sanctions. The much-criticized veto led the mandate to expire in late April.

"We strongly urge Russia and North Korea to comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, all of which were unanimously adopted in this chamber," he added.

Earlier this month, a U.S. State Department official said Russia had received more than 16,500 containers worth of ammunition and related materiel from North Korea since last September, and that the Russian military had launched more than 65 North Korean missiles over Ukraine since late December 2023.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that in order to promote peace in Ukraine, it is necessary to stop the attempts of Iran, North Korea, and China to fuel the Russian military machine, also stressing the need to support Ukraine's peace initiatives.

Photo: UN