U.S. will continue to work with UNSC members to hold N. Korea accountable: U.S. ambassador

All News 04:54 February 02, 2023

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States will continue to work with other members of the United Nations Security Council to hold North Korea accountable for its missile provocations, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Wednesday.

The U.S. diplomat also underscored U.S. support for efforts to reform the U.N. Security Council.

"We have pushed hard in the Security Council to produce products condemning the actions of the DPRK," Thomas-Greenfield told a press briefing at the state department, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"And as you noted, both China and Russia have consistently protected DPRK from the actions of the Security Council. They have the veto power and they have abused that veto power," she added.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is seen answering questions during a press briefing at the U.S. Department of State in Washington on Feb. 1, 2023 in this captured image. (Yonhap)

North Korea fired 69 ballistic missiles last year, each of them in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The Security Council held 10 meetings in 2022 to discuss North Korea's missile provocations but failed to impose any additional sanctions on the recalcitrant country due to opposition from Beijing and Moscow.

"The other 13 members of the Security Council have been consistent and strong in wanting to condemn DPRK, and we will continue to work to do that, particularly as we see more and more tests being done by the DPRK," said Thomas-Greenfield.

Officials in Seoul and Washington have noted the North may conduct a nuclear test in the near future, saying the country appears to have completed all preparations to conduct a nuclear test "at any time."

Thomas-Greenfield reaffirmed U.S. support for U.N. Security Council reforms.

"The president announced in September during high level week that we support U.N. Security Council reform and we support additional permanent members of the Security Council, as well as new elected members of the Security Council," she said.

When asked if the U.S. would support South Korea's membership in the U.N. Security Council, the U.S. diplomat said the U.S. has not expressed support for any specific country, other than that "we do support new members coming from Africa and Latin America."