South Korea urges global backing on North Korea nuclear issue

April 28 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's foreign ministry called North Korea's nuclear program the most urgent challenge facing the global nonproliferation regime and urged stronger international support during a United Nations conference.

Jeong Yeon-doo, head of policy planning at the foreign ministry, made the remarks Monday at the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons held at U.N. headquarters in New York.

"North Korea is the only case that has benefited from the NPT system, declared withdrawal and continued to openly develop nuclear weapons," Jeong said in a keynote address. "This makes it the most urgent challenge to the nonproliferation regime."

He said South Korea remains committed to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and lasting peace, adding that Seoul will pursue a phased approach aimed at halting, reducing and ultimately dismantling North Korea's nuclear program through dialogue and cooperation.

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Jeong urged Pyongyang to respond to what he described as sincere efforts and to return to its obligations under the treaty and U.N. Security Council resolutions.

He also called on Russia to halt what he described as illegal military cooperation with North Korea in violation of U.N. resolutions and to fulfill its responsibility to uphold the global nonproliferation system.

Jeong warned that the credibility and effectiveness of the NPT framework are under strain amid worsening global security conditions, including the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, the expiration of the New START agreement and signs of nuclear force expansion by some nuclear-armed states.

He emphasized the need for all parties to reaffirm the treaty's three pillars - disarmament, nonproliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy - and called on nuclear-armed states to take responsibility for pursuing arms control, halting nuclear competition and building trust through dialogue.

António Guterres also expressed concern over weakening nonproliferation norms, urging countries to recommit to their obligations.

"We must breathe new life into this treaty," Guterres said, calling on nations to uphold their commitments without conditions or delay.

The NPT, which entered into force in 1970, is widely regarded as the cornerstone of the global nuclear nonproliferation regime. South Korea joined the treaty in 1975, and review conferences are held every five years to assess its implementation.

Recent conferences have struggled to reach consensus, and observers say divisions among key stakeholders could again complicate adoption of a final document at the current meeting, which runs through May.

-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260429010009182