Biden names N. Korea as one of 'disturbing' reasons to strengthen nonproliferation regime

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday named North Korea as one of a few major reasons why the United Nations and its members must work to strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

The U.S. leader also said the U.S. is prepared to pursue "critical arms controls measures" no matter what is happening in the world.

"A nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought. The five permanent members of the (U.N.) Security Council just reaffirmed that commitment in January," Biden said in his address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

"But today we're seeing disturbing trends," he added.

The U.S. leader said China's pursuit of what he called an "unprecedentedly concerning nuclear buildup without transparency" was one of such disturbing trends, along with Russia's "irresponsible nuclear threats to use nuclear weapons."

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea continues to blatantly violate UN sanctions," he added, referring to North Korea by its official name.

Biden reaffirmed U.S. commitment to use diplomacy to address such issues, while urging U.N. member states to help strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

"The nonproliferation regime is one of the greatest successes of this institution. We cannot let the world now slide backwards," he said.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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