Debate over how to handle a North Korean ballistic missile launch over Japanese territory split an already deeply fractured U.N. Security Council on Wednesday, with Russia and China insisting that U.S.-led military exercises in the region had provoked North Korea into acting.
Wednesday鈥檚 session ended with no agreement on next steps, despite warnings from the U.S. and its allies that the council鈥檚 inability to reach consensus on North Korea鈥檚 record number of missile launches this year was emboldening North Korea and undermining the authority of the United Nations' most powerful body.
鈥漈his council should be mindful that it is being tested and its credibility is at stake. This council should act, and produce an action that restores its credibility,鈥 said Hiroshi Minami, Japan's deputy representative to the U.N. and one of those unsuccessfully urging the council back into its formerly unified stand over North Korea鈥檚 launches.
North Korea鈥檚 missile flight Tuesday was its longest-range weapons test ever, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that soared over Japan and had enough punch to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam and beyond. It forced the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and halt trains.
The U.N. said the North Korea鈥檚 this year, now numbering more than 40, comes as North Korea also appears to be moving toward a seventh test nuclear blast. Early Thursday, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters just 22 minutes apart, officials said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is pushing to develop a fully fledged nuclear arsenal capable of threatening the U.S. mainland and the territory of U.S. allies, with a goal of wresting concessions from those countries, some experts say.
Tuesday's launch was the first that Kim has aimed over Japan since 2017. It came within days of a in the Sea of Japan with allies Japan and South Korea. The exercise included a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier.
Russia鈥檚 deputy U.N. representative, Anna Evstigneeva, insisted to Security Council members that it was the 鈥渋rresponsibility鈥 of that U.S.-led exercise, along with growing U.S. alliances with partners in the Asia-Pacific region, that prompted North Korea鈥檚 action.
China鈥檚 deputy U.N. representative, Geng Shuang, depicted the matter as a confrontation between the U.S. and North Korea, and urged a more conciliatory approach by Washington.
Wednesday鈥檚 session ended only with a vague call for more discussion on the matter. It served as the latest example of a growing polarization pitting Russia and China against fellow permanent Security Council members the United States, United Kingdom and France.
Brought to the forefront by Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine, China鈥檚 military assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region and the U.S. response to it, and other matters, the divide has paralyzed the Security Council on many key actions. That鈥檚 because all five permanent members have the power to veto council actions.
The Security Council imposed sanctions after North Korea鈥檚 first nuclear test explosion in 2006, and tightened them over the years seeking to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and cut off funding.
In May, however, China and Russia blocked a Security Council resolution that would have toughened sanctions over the missile launches, in the first serious rift on the council over the sanctions against North Korea.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., told Security Council members Wednesday that 鈥渢wo permanent members of the Security Council have enabled Kim Jong Un.鈥
Past missile launches this year had clearly been launched without any concurrent U.S. military exercises or any other clear triggers, Thomas-Greenfield said, calling North Korea's a 鈥渟elf-initiated escalation.鈥
鈥淲e won鈥檛 tolerate any country blaming our defensive actions鈥s somehow the inherent cause of these threats,鈥 she said. She added, 鈥淭he United States will not stand by as the DPRK directly threatens鈥 the U.S. or its allies.
