Annex 5: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874 (2009)

Almost six months past the deadline, on June 26, 2008, North Korea submitted its muchawaited
declaration. While the contents of North Korea's declaration have not been disclosed
to the public, various media reports claimed that the declaration failed to address its alleged
uranium enrichment program or suspicions of its nuclear proliferation to other countries,
such as Syria. Despite problems with the declarations, the Bush administration notified U.S.
Congress that it was removing North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism
and also issued a proclamation lifting some sanctions under the Trading with the Enemy
Act. Following the U.S. government's action, North Korea demolished the cooling tower at
the Yongbyon reactor which was broadcasted by the international media. However, North
Korea announced in late August 2008 that they restored the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon
and barred international inspectors from accessing the site. Pyongyang also criticizing the
United States for delaying the removal of North Korea from the list of state sponsors of
terror. On 11 October 2008, the United States dropped North Korea from the terrorism list
after reaching a deal in which North Korea agreed to resume the disabling of its nuclear
facilities and allow inspectors access to the nuclear sites. The six parties then resumed
negotiations to map out a verification plan in Beijing in December 2008. These negotiations
focused on ways to verify the disabling of North Korea's nuclear program, including taking
nuclear samples. However, the negotiations failed to reach an agreement on a verification
protocol and the issue was stalled. Then after, a rapid deterioration of the relation between
North Korea and the international community followed in 2009. North Korea’s increasing
“belligerent” stance also may have been a response to earlier statements by the new
American President Barack Obama about his commitment to avoid North Korea to become a
danger. After war-mongering discourse earlier in the year, the DPRK apparently felt the
need to illustrate to the outside world (South Korea, Japan and the United States of America)
that it was perfectly capable of defending its own territory. The following “illustrations”
were set up by North Korea;
- On April 5, 2009, the DPRK launched the Unha-2
space booster (allegedly based on the long-range
Taepodong-2). Although the launch was more
successful than the 2006 test, the third stage still
failed to separate properly. A missile test or a satellite
attempt, the launch nevertheless violates earlier UN
Security Council's resolutions. Because the Unha-2's
first stage engine is the Musudan (Nodong-B /
Taepodong-X), North Korea claims they have
demonstrated the 4000 km range and reliability of its
new Musudan missile. This means North Korea may be able to develop/deploy mobile
ICBMs within 7–10 years, which can survive a US first strike;
- On May 25, 2009, the DPRK conducted the second nuclear test in its history;
- On July 2, 2009, North Korea test fired a series of at least four surface-to-ship cruise
missiles into the Sea of Japan;
- Two days later, on July 4, they proceeded to test fire
a further seven Scud-type ballistic missiles into the
same sea. The tests are seen by world powers as a
symbol of defiance to the United Nations set over
North Korea after their nuclear test on May 25, 2009.
These launches come only a week after US President
Barack Obama extended US economic sanctions
against North Korea. This is also a response to the
UN's sanctions that were imposed on 12 June 2009
(UN Security Council Resolution - UNSC 1874 [2009], see Annex 5 for the full text, read
the decisions taken by the UN Security Council).
© 2009 – Dr. D. Criekemans – Negotiations in UNSC on the continuing security provocations by North Korea 6