EU Statement at IAEA BoG on the application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as deliverd on 16 November 2022

EU Statement at IAEA BoG on the application of safeguards in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as deliverd on 16 November 2022

Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The following countries align themselves with this statement:North Macedonia^*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine^*, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*, Iceland⁺, Liechtenstein⁺ and Norway⁺.

The EU is increasingly alarmed by the DPRK's unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile activities, which undermine the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and pose a serious threat to international peace and security. The year 2022 has witnessed an unprecedented number of illegal ballistic missile launches by the DPRK, including multiple intercontinental and intermediate range ballistic missiles. The recent escalation by the DPRK of these unacceptable actions has included the launch of an intermediate range ballistic that flew over Japan and the launch of a missile that landed in the Republic of Korea's exclusive economic zone. At the same time, the ongoing activities at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, the Yongbyon nuclear complex and other locations have raised concern that Pyongyang may test a nuclear weapon. The DPRK's aggressive rhetoric, including repeated references to tactical nuclear weapons and the adoption of a new nuclear doctrine in September 2022 are also of grave concern.

The EU strongly condemns these activities which add to the DPRK's repeated flagrant violations of its international obligations and warrant a resolute and united response from the UN Security Council. The multiple UN Security Council resolutions make it very clear that the DPRK shall not conduct nuclear tests and must immediately abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and cease all related activities. The unlawful actions taken by the DPRK cannot and will never confer upon it the status of a nuclear weapon State in accordance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or any special status whatsoever.

Therefore, the EU urges the DPRK:

• to refrain from testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, and to introduce a full moratorium on all types of missile launches;
• to refrain from other forms of destabilising action;
• to immediately engage in concrete action to comply with its obligation to abandon its nuclear weapons, any other weapons of mass destruction, its ballistic missiles and dismantle all related programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner;
• to return to full compliance with its obligations under the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon State and the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and to bring into force an Additional Protocol to that Agreement; and
• to abide by its moratorium on nuclear tests and to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), without delay and without preconditions.

It is of utmost importance that the international community remains united and vigilant in addressing the DPRK nuclear and missile proliferation threat. The EU urges all UN Member States, especially members of the UN Security Council, to ensure the full implementation of sanctions and effectively block the flow of finance, components or knowledge that could support the DPRK's unlawful weapons programme.

Chair,

The EU urges the DPRK to engage in meaningful discussions with all relevant parties to build a basis for sustainable peace and security and to take steps aimed at pursuing complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. It is highly regrettable that the DPRK has not taken concrete steps in this regard. We urge the DPRK to resume discussions with all relevant parties to reach an agreement that would facilitate the Agency's return to the DPRK.

We reiterate our appreciation for the continued efforts of the IAEA's DPRK Team to monitor the nuclear situation in that country. Any verification efforts would benefit from technical assistance by the IAEA and, as appropriate, the CTBTO.

The IAEA must remain seized of the matter in accordance with the resolutions of the IAEA General Conference. The EU requests the Director General to keep the Board of Governors informed of this issue and to maintain this item on the agenda of its future meetings.

Thank you, Chair.

*Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, as well as potential Candidate Country Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

+Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are members of the EFTA and of the European Economic Area.