UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned in the strongest terms the repeated violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on nuclear and ballistic activities. Guterres today addressed the minister-level thematic meeting of the Security Council presided over by the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He told the 15-member body that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is one of the longest-standing and most serious issues before the UN. "The DPRK's continued pursuit of its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programs, in defiance of repeated demands by the Security Council to cease such activities, clearly threatens regional and international security and seriously undermines international disarmament and non-proliferation efforts," he added. The UN Chief said he was alarmed by the risk of a military escalation in the region, including by miscalculation or misunderstanding. He expressed particular concern about the possibility that efforts to offset the destabilizing activities of the DPRK could also result in growing arms competition and tensions, further impeding the ability of the international community to maintain unity and conclude a peaceful solution. Since the DPRK is the only country to have conducted nuclear tests this century, the UN Chief said all must assume with each test or launch, North Korea continues to make technological advances in its pursuit of a military nuclear capability. Therefore, he said the onus is on the DPRK to comply with its international obligations. Guterres called countries to act now in order to avoid miscalculation and misunderstanding as well as prevent conflict and achieve sustainable peace.
