Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, at the UNSC Briefing on the DPRK - July 2nd, 2023

Thank you Mister President,

I thank ASG Mohamed Khaled Khiari for his briefing. I also welcome to this meeting the representatives for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and for the Republic of Korea.

Brazil once again condemns, in the strongest terms, the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile by the DPRK on July 11th. The launch violated relevant Security Council resolutions, put at risk maritime and air safety as well as endangered neighboring populations.

The 74 minutes of flight time make it the longest test flight for a DPRK missile to date. If reports are correct in identifying the missile as a Hwasong-18 ICBM, it shows further progress in the DPRK’s solid fueled missile program and further steps in their nuclear capabilities.

These developments point to a harsh reality that we must face squarely in the Council: our approach to this file simply has not worked. Neither the inaction of the past five years nor the nine rounds of sanctions of the previous decade have been able to adequately address the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea nuclear and missile programmes.

We are disappointed when we see discussions in this Council become polarized around a false choice: returning to the pre-2018 paradigm of uniting around new and broader rounds of sanctions or remaining silent so as to avoid provoking the DPRK.

Mister President,

Every new launch makes it clearer that a new approach is needed. We believe the Security Council has an important role to play, that is neither as a silent observer, nor as a mere forum for approving sanctions.

The Council, and the United Nations as a whole, has much to contribute. It can help initially to rebuild trust between parties, so as to open a window for engagement. Once that window is open, it can use its expertise and its political weight to help build and sustain a diplomatic process. Finally, it can endorse and verify the results of any agreement, making its results more transparent and legitimate to all parties involved. Chapter VI gives the Council a wide toolbox that remains underexplored in this file.

We have been encouraged by the expressions of interest we have received over the last few months in discussing this broader diplomatic role for the Council and the UN in the DPRK file. We hope to continue to develop these ideas in the coming months and remain open to discussing them with any Member State that may wish to do so. 

We note the presence of the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in this Chamber today, after a long hiatus, and expect this to be a positive sign for diplomatic engagement.

I reiterate that engagement, not isolation, remains the best path towards achieving our shared goal of a Korean Peninsula that is stable, peaceful and free of nuclear weapons. The latest launch makes us more convinced of this, not less.

I thank you.