The secretary general of the United Nations on Wednesday condemned North Korea’s claim that it successfully tested a nuclear weapon.
Speaking from the U.N. headquarters, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the nation’s reported test of a hydrogen bomb “deeply troubling” and a violation of numerous U.N. Security Council resolutions, “despite the united call by the international community to cease such activities.”
“It is also a grave contravention of the international norm against nuclear testing,” he told reporters Wednesday. “This act is profoundly destabilizing for regional security and seriously undermines international non-proliferation efforts. I condemn it unequivocally.”
He urged North Korea to halt any further nuclear activities and move toward meeting its obligations for verifiable denuclearization.
“We are monitoring and assessing developments in close coordination with the concerned international organizations — including the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) – and interested parties,” he concluded, referring to the Vienna-based group that, when complete, will have more than 330 facilities worldwide to look for signs of nuclear explosions.
His comment was released on the same day the U.N. Security Council met to discuss the test. The council “strongly condemned” the test, said it violates four resolutions, and said it would “begin to work immediately” on a new resolution.
The U.N. joined numerous other countries, including NATO, in denouncing the reported nuclear weapons test, which North Korea announced on Tuesday. The CTBTO had said it picked up “an unusual seismic event” in North Korea and if confirmed, it will be the nation’s fourth nuclear test since 2006.
Nearly 200 countries respect the universally accepted norm against nuclear testing put forth by the CTBTO, according to the group’s Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo.
The U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency said if the test is confirmed, it is a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and is “deeply regrettable.”
“I strongly urge the DPRK to implement fully all relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and the IAEA,” Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement.
Amano added that the IAEA remains ready to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear issue “by resuming its nuclear verification activities in the DPRK once a political agreement is reached among countries concerned.”
