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The United States accuses Russia and China of “blatantly” protecting North Korea

Sakege November 5, 2024

The United States on Monday criticized Russia and China at the United Nations Security Council for “blatantly protecting” and emboldening North Korea to continue violating U.N. sanctions, as Pyongyang pledged to accelerate the development of its “ nuclear force.”

“Russia and China have blatantly protected Pyongyang from any retaliation or even condemnation of its actions,” said the US deputy ambassador to the UN. United Nations Roberto Madera.

“Protected from closer scrutiny of its sanctions-violating activities by Moscow and Beijing, Pyongyang has unsurprisingly been emboldened to continue advancing its illegal ballistic missile, nuclear, and weapons of mass destruction programs.” he said, using the acronym for weapons of mass destruction.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Photo: Swimming Pool / AFP / Getty Images / TNS

The 15-member council was meeting Pyongyang Thursday’s test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. wood said Russia and China had prevented the council from issuing a statement of condemnation, a move that requires consensus.

North Korea’s UN ambassador, Kim Song, told the Security Council that Pyongyang would accelerate the development of its nuclear force to “counter any threat posed by hostile nuclear-armed states.”

“The US nuclear threat against the DPRK has already reached a critical point in terms of its scale and danger,” Kim said. “Due to the reckless movements of the USAthe potential situation is approaching the brink of war.” DPRK is an acronym for the country’s formal name, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

North Korea has been under UN Security Council sanctions since 2006, and measures have been steadily strengthened over the years aimed at stopping Pyongyang’s development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.