Asean to North Korea: Comply with UN resolutions, junk nukes

In this Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016, file photo, a South Korean army soldier watches a TV news program showing images published in North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper of North Korea’s ballistic missile believed to have been launched from underwater, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at Seoul Railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The UN Security Council is strongly condemning four North Korean ballistic missile launches in July and August, calling them “grave violations” of a ban on all ballistic missile activity. A press statement approved by all 15 members deplored the fact that the North’s ballistic missile activities are contributing to its development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and increasing tensions. AP FILE PHOTO

BORACAY ISLAND — Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on Tuesday reiterated their earlier statement expressing “grave concern” over North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launch.

The Foreign Ministers who attended a retreat at the Shangri-La Boracay Resort here also urged the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to comply with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UN SC), according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. who chaired the meeting.

He said the Asean officials urged the DPKR to comply with UN SC resolutions “in the interest of maintaining regional peace, security and stability.

In its February 14 statement, the Asean Foreign Ministers reaffirmed the importance of peace and security in the Korean Peninsula. They also reiterated Asean’s “full support for the denuclearisation of the peninsula in a peaceful manner.”

Yasay said that during the meeting, the Malaysian Foreign Minister reported on the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim Jong Nam was apparently poisoned at the Kuala Lumpur airport.

The murder has triggered a row between North Korea and Malaysia over the custody of Kim Jong Nam’s remains.

Yasay said there was no discussion on the murder out of respect for ongoing investigations by Malaysian authorities.

The Asean is composed of 10 member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It aims to promote regional cooperation on economic, political, and security concerns.  SFM