UN PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT ON NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Fact Sheet: UN Security Council Presidential Statement on North Korea Launch
New York, NY April 16, 2012

The UN Security Council has swiftly and unanimously adopted a Presidential Statement (PRST) to "strongly condemn" North Korea's recent attempt to launch a satellite.

The Security Council underscored that any such launch -- no matter whether it's called a satellite or space launch -- is a "serious violation" of Security Council resolutions. The Council also deplored that this launch has caused grave security concerns in the region.

The Security Council demanded that North Korea not proceed with any further launches using ballistic missile technology and that North Korea comply with its obligations under previous Security Council resolutions by suspending all activities related to its ballistic missile program and reestablish a moratorium on missile launches.

To ensure that there are consequences for North Korea's actions, the Council also provided for new sanctions:
· The Security Council directed its North Korea Sanctions Committee to designate new, additional North Korean companies that will be subject to an asset freeze.
· The Committee will also identify additional sensitive nuclear and ballistic missile technology that will be banned for transfer to and from North Korea.

· To tighten enforcement of existing UN sanctions, the Security Council also directed the Sanctions Committee to update public information about already-designated individuals and entities (e.g., new aliases or front companies), as well as to update control lists of technology already banned for transfer to and from North Korea.

· The Committee will also update an annual work plan that will enhance its ability to monitor and improve sanctions implementation.

If the Committee does not complete these actions within fifteen days, then the Security Council will do so within an additional five days.

This Council also demanded that North Korea comply immediately with its obligations under previous Security Council resolutions, including that it abandon its nuclear programs, cease all related activities and not conduct any further launch, nuclear test or any further provocations.

Critically, the Security Council made clear that there will be consequences to future North Korean launches or nuclear tests. If North Korea chooses to again defy the international community, then the Council has expressed its determination to take action accordingly.

This PRST is a stronger response than the Council's reaction to North Korea's last such launch in April 2009. It includes a stronger condemnation of the launch as a violation and explicitly includes sanctions (as in 2009), tightens further existing sanctions (which 2009 did not) and threatens additional action should the North Korea conduct another launch or nuclear test. This PRST was also adopted with unprecedented speed.