The situation on the Korean peninsula, examined in detail by the SI Presidium in September of this year and addressed in a statement issued from the UN Headquarters in New York, continues to represent a grave challenge to the international community.
The Council considers that the development of atomic weapons by the North Korean regime, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, threatens stability and peace in Asia and the Pacific and must end. Aggressive and provocative actions by North Korea are also having global repercussions, and raise the chilling prospect of a conflict between states with the capability to launch nuclear weapons. Therefore, we call on all states in the region and the United States to refrain from statements, initiatives or military activity that might further escalate tensions in that area.
The SI reiterates the necessity of seeking a political solution to the tensions on the Korean peninsula, in line with its fundamental commitment to peace and diplomacy. The SI will work to define new initiatives to relieve this potentially catastrophic situation, working in consultation and dialogue with partners on the Korean peninsula and regional actors, including its member party in Japan and representatives from China, in order to promote and advance a solution that takes into account the vital regional implications of the current circumstances.
The Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, in February 2018 give a unique opportunity for a symbolic truce as stated in the UN resolution adopted unanimously on 13 November 2017. The consensus for the resolution included the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as well as the future hosts of the Olympic Games: Japan, China, France and the USA.
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