North Korea launches more ballistic missiles as it prepares to test nuclear weapons



On Sunday, the North Korean government launched eight ballistic missiles as the country’s dictator, Kim Jong Un, tries to establish the country as a global military force with nuclear capabilities.

The New York Post reported that South Korean military sources confirmed that the North Korean military launched the missiles over a span of 35 minutes near the capital city of South Korea, Pyongyang.

These missile launches are North Korea’s latest provocation of the international community and is the 18th round of missile tests conducted by the reclusive communist nation so far in 2022. This round of missile tests came just one day after the South Korean military conducted a naval drill in the Philippine Sea alongside the U.S. aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan.

Reportedly, North Korean leadership is preparing a nuclear test site in the town of Punggye-Ri as it plans to launch its first nuclear weapons test since 2017. Since 2006, North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests.

Kim Jong Un has sought to make a global statement about the North’s military capabilities as it pushes to develop weapons that could potentially reach the U.S. mainland.

Nuclear disarmament discussions between the U.S. and the North stalled out over sanctions pursued against the North in 2019. Some experts believe that Kim’s strategy is to increase his military might so that his country may be able to negotiate from a position of strength on the international stage.

Recently, the U.S. pushed the United Nations Security Council to place further sanctions on North Korea to attempt and quell rising tensions over the North’s continued missile testing. This sanction package was vetoed by Russia and China.

The package vetoed by the two countries would have imposed sanctions on North Korea for its continued launching of intercontinental ballistic missiles that can be used to carry nuclear weapons.

After vetoing the measure, Chinese and Russian representatives said that the countries oppose implementing any further restrictions on North Korea and stressed the need for more dialogues to be held between North Korean and American leadership.

The last sanctions resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council in December of 2017 emphasized collaboration from member states as they committed to implementing further restrictions on petroleum exports to North Korea in response to the country’s continued ballistic missile tests. At this time, it was believed that North Korea’s missiles had intercontinental range.

Russia and China vetoed UN sanctions on North Korea



China and Russia vetoed a recent resolution in the United Nations (U.N.) sponsored by the U.S. that would have imposed new sanctions on North Korea for its continued launching of intercontinental ballistic missiles that can be used to carry nuclear weapons.

The Associated Press reported that the vote held by the U.N. Security Council had thirteen nations in favor and 2 opposed. China and Russia were the lone dissenters. China and Russia are among the five countries with veto powers on the Security Council. China and Russia’s move to veto the sanctions package marks the first serious division among the five veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council.

In 2006, the security council unanimously imposed sanctions on North Korea after its first nuclear test explosion. Over the years these sanctions packages intensified, and so far there have been 10 resolutions unsuccessfully seeking to rein in North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

After vetoing the vote, Chinese and Russian representatives said that their countries oppose implementing more sanctions on North Korea while stressing the need for more dialogue between North Korean and American leadership.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed disappointment at the vote but indicated that she was not surprised. Thomas-Greenfield called North Korea’s 23 ballistic missile launches this year “a grave threat to international peace and security.”

Using the initials of the North Korea’s official name, she said, “The world faces a clear and present danger from the DPRK.”

The last sanctions resolution adopted by the U.N. Security Council in December 2017 member states committed to implementing further restrictions on petroleum exports to North Korea if it continued conducting ballistic missile launches capable of reaching intercontinental ranges.

Before this recent vote, Thomas-Greenfield urged council members to fulfill its commitment and act against North Korea’s renewed ICBM launches and its reinvigorated nuclear program.

China’s ambassador to the U.N., Zhang Jun, blamed the U.S. for not reciprocating North Korea’s “positive initiatives” during talks held between the two countries under the Trump administration in 2018 and 2019.

Jun said it was the U.S.’s responsibility to resume dialogue with North Korean leadership and find a diplomatic solution that advanced a peace treaty between North and South Korea in lieu of the longstanding armistice.

Zhang said, “The situation and the peninsula has develop to what it is today thanks primarily to the flip-flop of U.S. policies and failure to uphold the results of previous dialogues.”

Ukraine stands up to Russia in powerful moment at emergency UN meeting: 'There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell.'



Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations confronted Russia's U.N. ambassador in a tense exchange late Wednesday just as Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

What happened?

During an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council late Wednesday, Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya directly confronted Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, a rare moment at the U.N. that underscored its seriousness.

Less than an hour after Russia began its invasion, Kyslytsya called on the U.N. Security Council to remove Russia as president of the council (the council rotates the "president" role each month, and the Russian Federation just so happened to be president of the council in February) — and that is when things got tense.

"It’s too late, my dear colleagues, to speak about de-escalation, too late," Kyslytsya said.

"The Russian president declared war. Should I play video of your president?" Kyslytsya then asked Nebenzia directly, holding up his phone. "Ambassador, should I do that right now, or can you confirm it?"

"Do not interrupt me, please — thank you," he continued.

"Then don't ask me questions when you are speaking," Nebenzia fired back. "Proceed with your statement."

"Anyway, you declared war. It is the responsibility of this body to stop the war," Kyslytsya responded. "So, I call on every one of you to do everything possible to stop the war."

Ukraine - Security Council, 8974th meeting | United Nations | UNTV Live (23 Feb 2022) - Official youtu.be

At the end of the meeting, after other countries had condemned Russia for the invasion, Kyslytsya blasted Russia with a powerful line of condemnation.

"As I said, relinquish your duties as chair. Call Putin, call [Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey] Lavrov to stop aggression," Kyslytsya said. "And I welcome the decision of some members of this council to meet as soon as possible to consider the necessary decision that would condemn the aggression that you launch on my people."

"There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell, ambassador," Kyslytsya continued.

Shockingly, just before adjourning the meeting, Nebenzia said that Russia is not being aggressive toward Ukraine because there is a "junta in power in Kyiv." The comment amounts to an outright rejection of Ukraine's sovereignty.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.N. @SergiyKyslytsya: "There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell ambassador."pic.twitter.com/exlYjFf7f9
— CSPAN (@CSPAN) 1645675885

In the wake of Russia's invasion, calls are growing to remove Russia from the U.N. Security Council, or perhaps from the U.N. altogether. However, Russia holds a permanent spot on the Security Council, making its potential removal difficult.