Statement by Ambassador Takeshi Hikihara at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting starting on Thursday, 21 November 2019 : Item 4(c): Application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

2019/11/21
Thank you, Madam Chair,

In September, General Conference adopted the resolution on “Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement between the Agency and the DPRK”. In this resolution, we could demonstrated common will on solidarity of IAEA member states towards the denuclearization of North Korea.
Japan continues to support the process between the US and North Korea and closely coordinate with the international community toward the resolution of outstanding issues of concern regarding North Korea.

North Korea has not carried out the dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner: There has been no essential change in North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

The August report by the Acting Director General on the application of safeguards in North Korea mentions that the continuation of North Korea’s nuclear programme is a clear violation of relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and is deeply regrettable. Japan deeply regrets North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile launches which, including that of 2nd and 31st last October, violate the relevant UNSC resolutions.

Madam Chair,

Japan strongly urges North Korea to fully comply with all its obligations under relevant UNSC resolutions, and to take concrete steps towards achieving complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of all of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missiles of all ranges as well as related programs and facilities in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions(UNSCRs).

The international community needs to cooperate to support progress in the process between the US and North Korea. Japan emphasizes the critical importance for all States to fully implement relevant UNSC resolutions, and calls upon all States to continue working together to this end.

Japan highly appreciates the Secretariat’s work to enhance the Agency’s ability and readiness to verify North Korea’s nuclear program, which has been carried out within its mandate. We consider it important that Agency’s expertise, knowledge and experience is utilized. And we hope that the IAEA should take an important role in verifying North Korea’s nuclear program, if concrete progress towards denuclearization of North Korea is made.

Thank you, Madam Chair.