1. On January 27, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se spoke by phone with Foreign Ministers Delcy Rodriguez Gomez, Dato' Sri Anifah bin Haji Aman, and Georges Rebelo Chikoti of Venezuela, Malaysia and Angola, which are members of the UN Security Council, and discussed ways for the Security Council to respond to North Korea’s fourth nuclear test.

2. Minister Yun emphasized to Minister of Venezuela Rodriguez that North Korea’s fourth nuclear test is not only a threat to the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia, and the world, but also a challenge to the global non-proliferation regime, including the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). Minister Yun requested that Venezuela, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, play a constructive role in adopting a strong and comprehensive Security Council sanctions resolution in order to achieve the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea.

3. In response, Minister Rodriguez said that Venezuela is exerting diplomatic efforts to promote global peace and to oppose the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) under the diplomatic principle of opposing nuclear weapons development and supporting denuclearization. She added that Venezuela will maintain the principle at the Security Council.

4. In his conversation with Malaysian Minister Anifah, Minister Yun noted with appreciation that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia promptly released a statement condemning North Korea. Stressing that North Korea’s efforts to build nuclear capabilities across the board, including three nuclear tests, a hydrogen bomb test, development of SLBMs and ICBMs, threaten the entire international community, Minister Yun asked Malaysia, a member of the Security Council, to show leadership in adopting a strong and comprehensive Security Council resolution to prevent North Korea from engaging in further provocations.

5. Minister Anifah said that Malaysia has consistently supported the Security Council’s resolutions on North Korea, and the country will also fully support a new Security Council resolution on the latest nuclear test by North Korea. Stating that deterring further North Korean provocations is our common interest, Minister Anifah said that Malaysia will closely cooperate with the ROK in the discussion process at the Security Council.

6. Minister Yun emphasized to Minister of Angola Chikoti that North Korea’s fourth nuclear test is a big threat to the entire international community. He requested that Angola, a member of the Security Council, play a constructive role in adopting a strong and comprehensive Security Council in order to deter further nuclear tests by North Korea and prevent the credibility of the UN and its Security Council being undermined.

o In response, Minister Chikoti said that Angola condemns North Korea’s nuclear test and will provide all possible support in the process of adopting a Security Council resolution through consultations with the ROK side.

7. With these phone conversations, Minister Yun has spoken by phone with the foreign ministers of 15 members of the Security Council to discuss Security Council measures since North Korea’s nuclear test on January 6. All of the Security Council members said that they will closely cooperate with the ROK to adopt a new Security Council sanctions resolution in response to the latest nuclear test by North Korea.


* unofficial translation