Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina[1] and Georgia, the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as San Marino align themselves with this statement.

The EU thanks the Director General for the update provided on the DPRK in his opening statement.

The EU condemns the DPRK’s continued development of its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. We urge the DPRK to comply with its obligations under relevant UN Security Council resolutions – including to abandon all nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missile programmes, and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner - and to refrain from provocative actions that could increase regional and global tensions, including the launching of military satellites using ballistic military technology.  

We are seriously concerned about statements from the DPRK that the country intends to exponentially increase its nuclear arsenal. Our concern is amplified by increased activity at the Yongbyon complex. This is exemplified by the IAEA’s indication that there are activities consistent with the operation of the Light Water Reactor, which could constitute an additional source of plutonium, and ongoing operation of the reported enrichment facility and its annex. The DPRK has also undertaken construction work in the Kangson complex, which shares infrastructure characteristics with the reported centrifuge enrichment facility at Yongbyon.  Activities at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site are consistent with the potential resumption of nuclear testing.

We urge the DPRK to return to full compliance with its obligations under the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon State and the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and to bring into force an Additional Protocol to that Agreement. We reiterate that the DPRK cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear weapon state in accordance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty. 

The EU strongly condemns the DPRK’s repeated ballistic missile launches and calls on it to cease actions that undermine international peace and security. We urge the DPRK to refrain from testing nuclear weapons, reaffirm the moratorium on long-range ballistic missile testing and nuclear tests and promptly sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, without further delay nor precondition.

The EU calls on all UN Member States to condemn DPRK actions that threaten international peace and security, and violate the global non-proliferation regime. The international community, especially Members of the UN Security Council, needs to remain united and vigilant in ensuring the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, which will be negatively impacted by the non-renewal of the mandate of the UN 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts as a result of RUS's veto. This is essential to prevent the DPRK from acquiring finance, materials, and knowledge benefiting its illegal weapons programmes.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms arms transfers and military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, in flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolutions. We call on the DPRK and Russia to abide by relevant UN Security Council resolutions and to immediately cease these activities

The EU also urges the DPRK to resume meaningful dialogue with relevant parties to build a basis for sustainable peace and security through the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. This includes the Agency’s return to the DPRK. The EU stands ready to support any meaningful diplomatic process.

Chair,

We express our support for the IAEA's valuable commitment and work to monitor the DPRK’s nuclear activities and readiness to engage, including on the issue of nuclear safety. Moreover, any verification effort shall benefit from technical assistance by the IAEA and, as appropriate, the CTBTO.

The EU requests the Director General to keep the Board of Governors informed of any developments and to maintain this item on the agenda of its future meetings.

Thank you, Chair.

[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.