UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The U.N. Security Council strongly condemned North Korea's rocket launch Monday, announcing it will impose new sanctions and warning of further action if Pyongyang conducts another launch or a new nuclear test.
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U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice (left) reads the presidential statement after days of closed-door consultations in response to DPRK's April 13 launch, in New York, Monday (Xinhua-Yonhap News)
Acting swiftly, the 15-member council, including North Korea's closest ally China, adopted a presidential statement underscoring its united opposition to Friday's launch _ which violated U.N. sanctions _ and the military policy being pursued by the country's young new leader, Kim Jong Un.
The council directed its sanctions committee to expand the list of North Koreans entities subject to asset freezes and identify more proliferation-sensitive technology to be banned for transfer to and from the country.
``The swift and unanimous adoption of this strong presidential statement shows that the international community is united in sending a clear message to North Korea that such provocations are serious and totally unacceptable,'' said U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, the current council president who read the statement at a council meeting.
While Russia and China blocked the Security Council from adopting a resolution on their ally Syria for over a year, both world powers have consistently supported tough measures against North Korea, despite their close ties.
North Korea's attempt to launch a satellite ended in failure when the rocket disintegrated over the Yellow Sea, embarrassing its new leader at what the North had planned as the centerpiece of the 100th birthday celebration of the country's founder, his grandfather Kim Il Sung. Western nations have said the launch was a cover for the testing of a long-range missile, and worries remain about North Korea's nuclear program amid reports that it may be planning another atomic test soon.
North Korea launched missiles in 2006 and 2009; in both cases, the missile tests were followed by nuclear tests.
``Clearly, the potential for that pattern to persisit is one that all members of the international community are mindful of and think would be a disastrous course for the North to pursue,'' Rice said. ``It will only lead to the North's increased isolation.''
The statement expressed the Security Council's ``determination to take action accordingly in the event of a further DPRK launch or nuclear test,'' using the initials of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the country's official name.
It said Friday's launch, ``as well as any use of ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle, is a serious violation of U.N. resolutions.'' It demanded that North Korea halt further launches using ballistic missile technology and suspend its ballistic missile program, as required by U.N. resolutions imposing sanctions after the country's nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
The council asked the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against North Korea to prepare new additions for the sanctions list within 15 days, and said if it doesn't the council itself would take action within five days to expand the list.
Rice said the council intends ``to designate additional North Korean entities, including companies, to be subject to an asset freeze, as well as to identify additional proliferation-sensitive technology to be banned for transfer to and from North Korea.''
The sanctions committee will also take several other actions to improve enforcement of existing sanctions, she said.
The United States, Rice said, will propose ``a robust package of new designations, including the names of companies responsible for North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and a list of technical items that North Korea needs to proceed with its illicit programs.''
The sanctions committee will go over proposals for new additions to the sanctions list, Rice said, which ``in 2009 yielded a very credible outcome, and we expect the same this time.''
The Security Council proceeded as it did in 2009, adopting a presidential statement after North Korea's missile launch. In that statement, a united council also condemned the launch and asked the sanctions committee to add companies, items and technologies to the sanctions list.
``This text is stronger than the one the council adopted in 2009, both in language and in substance,'' Rice said.
The presidential statement, which is weaker than a resolution but becomes part of the council's record, was largely drafted by Rice and China's U.N. Ambassador Li Baodong, with South Korea, Japan and European nations consulted at different points, U.N. diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the talks were private. The final draft was sent to the entire council and there were no objections by the Monday morning deadline, the diplomats said.
<관련 한글 기사>
라이스 대사 "北 핵실험 하면 재앙 될 것"
수전 라이스 유엔주재 미국 대사는 북한이 또 다시 핵실험을 한다면 북한에 재앙이 될 것이라고 16일(현지시간) 경고했다.
라이스 대사는 이날 유엔 안전보장이사회(안보리) 회의를 마친 뒤 기자들에게 북한은 로켓 발사에 뒤이어 핵실험을 하는 전례가 있었다면서 이같이 말했다.
라이스 대사는 "국제사회의 모든 구성원들은 북한이 이런 패턴을 반복하는 것은 재앙의 길로 가는 것이라는 생각을 하고 있다"면서 "이는 오로지 북한의 고립을 심화시킬 뿐"이라고 지적했다.
북한은 지난 2006년과 2009년에 미사일 발사 이후 핵심험을 했으며 유엔 안보리 는 곧바로 북한에 대한 제재조치를 결의했다.
안보리 北로켓 `강력 규탄' 의장성명 채택
"기존 결의의 심각한 위반…역내 중대 안보우려 초래"
"추가 발사나 핵실험 땐 상응하는 조치 취할 것"
유엔 안전보장이사회는 미 동부 시간으로 16일 오전 10시(한국시간 16일 오후 11시) 북한의 장거리 로켓 발사를 `강 력히 규탄하는'(strongly condemn) 의장성명을 채택했다.
북한이 국제사회의 거듭된 경고에도 불구하고 로켓 발사를 강행한 지 사흘 만이다.
안보리는 의장 성명에서 "비록 위성 발사나 우주발사체로 그 성격을 규정하더라 도 탄도미사일 기술을 이용한 어떠한 발사와 마찬가지로 이번 위성 발사도 안보리 결의 1718호와 1874호의 `심각한 위반'(serious violation)임을 강조한다"고 밝혔다.
또 "이러한 발사가 역내에 `중대한 안보 우려'(grave security concerns)를 초래했음을 `개탄한다'(deplore)"고 말했다.
이어 "안보리는 북한이 탄도미사일 기술을 이용한 어떠한 추가적인 발사도 진행 하지 말 것과 탄도미사일 관련 모든 활동을 중단함으로써 결의 1718호와 1874호를 준수하고, 미사일 발사 모라토리엄에 대한 기존의 약속을 재확인할 것을 요구한다"고 덧붙였다.
성명에는 기존 결의에 따라 설립된 북한제재위원회가 제재 단체(entity)와 품목 (item)을 추가로 지정해 15일 이내에 안보리에 보고할 것을 지시하는 내용도 담겼다.
안보리는 제재위원회가 15일 이내에 이와 같은 조처를 하지 않을 경우 그로부터 5일 내에 이러한 조정 조치를 완료하기로 합의했다고 설명했다.
안보리는 이번 의장성명에서 북한에 대해 모든 핵무기와 핵 프로그램의 폐기와 관련 활동의 중단 등 기존 결의에 명시된 의무의 즉각적이고 완전한 준수도 요구했다.
아울러 북한의 추가 발사나 핵실험이 있을 경우 그에 상응하는 조처를 할 것이라는 결의를 표명하고, 모든 유엔 회원국들이 결의 1718호와 1874호에 따른 의무를 완전히 이행할 것을 촉구했다.
안보리가 이처럼 이례적으로 신속한 조치를 내놓은 것은 북한의 이번 도발이 세 계 평화와 안보에 위기를 초래했다는 판단에 따라 강력한 경고 메시지를 전할 필요가 있다는 합의가 이뤄진 데 따른 것으로 보인다.