The EU strongly condemns the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on 31 October.

This illegal launch shows the DPRK’s continued intention to develop the means to deliver weapons of mass destruction. It is in flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), as is the DPRK’s deployment of troops and provision of arms to Russia in support of its war of aggression against Ukraine, in violation of the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law. These destabilising and illegal actions endanger regional and international peace and security as well as the global non-proliferation regime.

The DPRK must comply immediately with its obligations under UNSCRs by abandoning all its nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missile programmes and existing nuclear programmes, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and cease all related activities.

The DPRK cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear weapon state in accordance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), or any other special status in this regard. The DPRK must return immediately to full compliance with the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, bring into force the Additional Protocol and sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

It is critical that all UN Member States, especially Members of the UN Security Council, ensure the full implementation of UN sanctions and urge the DPRK to cease its illegal actions, to refrain from further escalating military tensions and to return to diplomacy.

The EU is coordinating with international partners notably with the Republic of Korea and Japan on the matter. The EU remains ready to work with all partners in promoting any meaningful diplomatic process aimed at building sustainable peace and security through the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.