To that end, representation of developing countries that make up the absolute majority of United Nations, must be expanded and strengthened, said Kim Song, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of DPRK to the UN.

“The issue to be addressed before anything else in the UN activities is to ensure that the Security Council is not allowed to be used as an instrument of specific forces for pursuing their geopolitical purposes, but strictly observes the principles of objectivity, impartiality and equity, befitting its heavy responsibility for maintenance of international peace and security,” he stressed.

‘Nothing more than an insult’

Mr. Kim cited recent Council meetings, convened to debate as separate agenda items “the legitimate right” to launch a satellite and “human rights issues” of the country.

It is “nothing more than an insult” to the spirit of the UN Charter that the Security Council put on table “the just and independent right” of a sovereign State and groundlessly took issue with human rights situation of an individual country, he said.

“The Security Council should put an end to the acts of discrediting sovereign States, interfering in their domestic affairs and fomenting confrontation and division by tabling issues detrimental to its mission and mandate,” he added.

Main purposes of the UN

Mr. Kim also emphasized that peace, prosperity, progress and development were the main purposes of the UN and they remain “an invariable desire of humankind as ever”.

He noted the end of COVID-19 global public health emergency thanks to the joint efforts of the international community, although the socio-political instability incurred by the pandemic remains.

In addition, abnormal climate events such as El Niño caused a myriad of natural disasters, leading to enormous human and material losses, reminding that climate change is a pressing common task “to which we should no longer remain indifferent.”

“In order for humanity to successfully achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development braving through all these crises and challenges, we should seek correct ways and means to solve the problems while defending multilateralism around the UN and promoting unity and cooperation among countries on the basis of the international law and fundamental principles governing the international relations,” he stressed.

US and ROK both ‘hysterical’

Making matters worse, some UN Member States “are instigating confrontation” among countries in pursuance of hegemony and self-profits.

For example, he said the United States made 2023 an “extremely dangerous year...trying to provoke a nuclear war. He denounced leaders from both the US and Republic of Korea for “hysterical remarks of confrontation remarks of confrontation such as ‘end of the regime’ and ‘occupation of Pyongyang’ in flagrant violation of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter.

He also said Washington was trying to create “the Asian version of NATO,” the military alliance that includes European nations and the United States and Canada.

“The DPRK remains steadfast and unchanged in its determination to firmly defend the national sovereignty, security interests and well-being of the people against the hostile threats from outside,” he said, adding that “the US and its following forces should look back on the consequences of their hostilities committed … and make the right choice judging what the end result would be.”

Full statement available here.