North Korea, 2001

I congratulate you, Sir,

once again on your election as President of the fifty-

sixth session of the General Assembly. I also wish to

express high appreciation to Mr. Harri Holkeri, who

carried out his duties as President of the fifty-fifth

session of the General Assembly in an excellent

manner. I would like to take this opportunity to extend

warm congratulations again to Mr. Kofi Annan on his

re-election as Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Last year, heads of State and Government

throughout the world held the Millennium Summit in

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this Hall and committed themselves to building a

peaceful and prosperous world in the new century. That

gave high hope and expectations to all people of the

world. However, the developments that are now taking

place on the globe overshadow possible

implementation of the Millennium Summit

commitments. The principles of respect for national

sovereignty and equality that constitute a cornerstone

of international relations are being undermined by

certain forces that consider strength as the means to

achieve everything. As long as there is acquiescence to

acts of arbitrary power that seek to destroy strategic

stability and hold absolute supremacy by establishing a

missile defence system in defiance of international

opposition, the world will be engulfed in another cold

war and arms race.

The problem of the Korean peninsula always

comes up as one of the major issues in deliberations on

global peace and security. That is because of the power

policy and arbitrary actions directed in most cases

against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We

are exposed to constant threats from huge armed

forces, including nuclear weapons, deployed around the

Korean peninsula on the pretext of an alleged threat

from North Korea, and that is the main source of

instability on the Korean peninsula and in the Asia-

Pacific region. That notwithstanding, we have been

able firmly to defend the dignity and sovereignty of the

country on our own in the face of the offensive by

hostile forces, and under difficult conditions

resembling an arduous march, unprecedented in our

history, thus contributing to the peace and security of

the region. That is entirely attributable to the

outstanding army-first policies of the respected General

Kim Jong Il. The great leader General Kim Jong Il

conducted active diplomacy, including his visit to

China and Russia and his meeting with the top-level

delegation of the European Union this year, and thus

made a great contribution to developing overall

international relations and strengthening global peace

and security.

In particular, the summit meetings and talks

between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

and Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of

Korea and China resulted in the adoption of documents

reflecting shared views on strengthening the leading

role of the United Nations in resolving major

international issues, ensuring strategic balance, and so

on. This serves as an historic milestone in establishing

a fair, new world, based on the principles of mutual

respect and cooperation for mutual benefit. We will, as

ever, firmly defend our sovereignty and the socialist

system of our country and advance convincingly along

the road chosen by ourselves under the army-first

leadership of the respected General Kim Jong Il.

It is the unanimous desire of all Korean people to

reunify the divided country at the earliest possible date.

Last year, the inter-Korean summit meeting was held

and the North-South Joint Declaration issued for the

first time in the history of the national division, thanks

to the idea of national independence and great national

unity of the great leader, Comrade Kim Jong Il. The

Joint Declaration reflects the will and aspirations of the

Korean people to achieve reunification independently

by pooling the efforts of the nation. It enjoys wide

support and is welcomed by the international

community. The General Assembly, at its fifty-fifth

session, unanimously adopted the resolution supporting

the Joint Declaration. With the publication of the Joint

Declaration, the enthusiasm for reunification was

manifested throughout the Korean peninsula and

dialogues and contacts in various fields took place

between the North and the South of Korea. It

demonstrated that the Korean nation could well open

the door to reunification by itself, if the North and the

South make joint efforts with sincere will for

independent reunification. However, inter-Korean

relations and the implementation of the 15 June Joint

Declaration, which were proceeding well and in the

right direction, now face a big obstacle due to the hard-

line, hostile policy and unjust interference of the new

United States Administration against the Democratic

People’s Republic of Korea.

The half-century history of national division and,

in particular, experiences during the past year, clearly

show that the North and South of Korea should, above

all, adhere to a stance of national independence if they

are to implement the North-South Joint Declaration.

Only when the North and South collaborate as one

nation will they open up a bright future for the nation,

without becoming a victim of outside forces. The most

important element in implementing the North-South

Joint Declaration and achieving peace and reunification

on the Korean peninsula is to put an end to the hostile

policy and interference of the United States against the

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It is totally

irrational to say that the United States deploys huge

armed forces in and around the Korean peninsula and

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conducts large-scale military exercises against us to

advance peace, self-defensive measures taken by my

country to cope with the United States military threat is

a threat to peace. Our missile programme is of a purely

peaceful nature and does not pose a threat to any

country that respects the sovereignty of the Democratic

People’s Republic of Korea.

It makes no sense for the United States to argue

that it needs to establish a missile defence system out

of fear of our missiles while itself possessing

thousands of nuclear bombs and missiles that could

extinguish humankind many times over. That argument

only covers up the United States strategy to gain

domination of the world, based on superior power.

Since the cold war is over and the North and South of

Korea are proceeding towards reconciliation and

cooperation in accordance with the 15 June Joint

Declaration, there is neither reason nor any other

ground whatsoever for United States troops to remain

in the South of Korea. Withdrawal of United States

troops from South Korea is an urgent issue whose

solution should not brook any further delay in the

interest of ensuring peace and security on the Korean

peninsula and in North-East Asia. Dialogue should be

conducted on a fair and equal basis. Resumption of the

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea-United States

of America dialogue will only be possible when the

present United States Administration gets rid of its

cold-war mentality and adopts a stance at least at the

level of the one taken by the Clinton Administration in

the last period of its term of office.

During the past two years, we have established

official relations with almost all member States of the

European Union (EU) and diplomatic relations with the

EU itself, and countries of other regions as well, on the

basis of the principles of respect for sovereignty and

equality. We are also ready to develop relations with

the United States on the principles of equality and

mutual benefit if the United States respects our

sovereignty and freedom of choice, takes an attitude of

good will towards us on an equal footing, and refrains

from obstructing the reunification of Korea.

Another factor of instability that casts a dark

shadow on the future development of the Korean

peninsula and its surroundings is the orientation of

Japanese moves, that is, the ultra-rightist inclination of

Japan and its undisguised attempt to revive militarism.

My delegation wishes to draw the attention of all

Member States to this matter at this session of the

General Assembly held in the first year of the twenty-

first century. The Japanese authorities are not willing to

terminate their past crimes against humanity, but try

instead to justify them, openly visiting the Yasukuni

Shrine, where the departed souls of the war criminals

are enshrined, distorting history textbooks for new

generations and legalizing the overseas advance of the

Japanese self-defence force.

On 29 August, Japan test-fired an H-2A large-size

delivery rocket that could easily be converted into an

intercontinental ballistic missile. That is a clear

indication that the militarism of Japan has become

politicized and is proceeding to an open and dangerous

stage.

Japan, which has always stigmatized our peaceful

satellite launch as a missile launch, said openly that its

test-fire of the rocket was done to cope with North

Korea’s missile, thus invoking military confrontation.

Japan should not misjudge our moratorium on satellite

launches and the peaceful character of our missile

programme. We strongly urge Japan to look squarely at

reality; put an end to its past inhumane crimes, and

sincerely turn to the road of peace in this new century.

That will be good for the future of Japan.

The most important task of Member States today

is to strengthen the central role of the United Nations

with regard to international issues. It is essential that

Member States honour and implement the United

Nations Charter in good faith. The United Nations

Charter enshrines the purposes and principles for

developing friendly international relations on the basis

of sovereign equality. However, certain countries do

not hesitate to undertake unilateral coercive actions and

even resort to the use of force against sovereign States,

ignoring and violating the United Nations Charter.

Member States should reject any attempt that goes

against the United Nations Charter and other principles

and norms of international law, and should strive to

establish a fair, new world structure based on the rule

of law, equality, mutual respect and cooperation for

mutual benefit, with a view to ensuring world security

and stability. If the leading role of the United Nations

in dealing with global issues is to be strengthened, the

United Nations should be reformed in a democratic

way. In this regard, we are of the view that it is

essential to strengthen the authority of the General

Assembly. The General Assembly must be empowered

to consider issues relating to world peace and security

and approve major resolutions of the Security Council

35

on these issues. Reform of the Security Council should

be pursued in the context of strengthening the authority

of the General Assembly. We hold that the Security

Council reform should be undertaken in full conformity

with its intrinsic purpose. The Security Council reform

must ensure enough representation of the developing

countries and full fairness in United Nations activities

for achieving international peace and security. We

place on record our strong opposition to considering in

any manner the permanent membership of Japan on the

Security Council when it has neither put an end to nor

recognized its past crimes, and while no agreement has

yet been reached on increasing the number of

permanent members.

One of the major challenges to the United

Nations and its Member States today is global poverty,

which grows ever more serious. Poverty, which has

resulted from colonialism in the past, continues to be

aggravated due to the inequitable international

monetary systems and neo-colonial policies. It also

becomes a factor that begets conflicts, diseases and

hunger and hampers the independent and creative life

of peoples and their enjoyment of the right to

development. If poverty is to be eradicated, a fair and

equitable international economic order should be

established and sustainable development ensured. We

will have to draw due lessons from the demonstrations

in Genoa last July and properly handle the issue of

globalization. In this regard, it should be underlined

that the developed countries and the international

financial institutions assume big responsibilities. The

United Nations should encourage Member States to

direct their attention to considering more practical

measures for eradicating poverty and achieving

development.

It is the consistent and principled position of the

Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of

Korea to oppose support, of whatever kind, to any

forms of terrorism. The large-scale terrorist incident

that occurred in the United States on 11 September was

very regrettable and tragic and reminds us of the

gravity of terrorism. The situation in Afghanistan is

now grave, where instability and unprecedented human

loss and material damage are brought about by the

military operation of the United States. The prevailing

situation requires that the leading role of the United

Nations in preventing terrorism be definitely

strengthened and the national obligations for the

elimination of terrorism be fully discharged by all

Member States.

Yesterday we signed the International Convention

for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and

acceded to the International Convention against the

Taking of Hostages. That shows that we are making

every possible effort to eliminate terrorism in the

world. As already stated, the aim of our opposing

terrorism is to promote global peace and stability,

defend the sovereignty of the country and nation and

protect the lives and property of the peoples of the

world. We are strongly of the view that imposing the

label of terrorist on countries that advocate sovereign

equality, while violating their sovereignty and

inflicting immeasurable pain on the people by resorting

to arbitrary armed intervention, sanctions, and so on,

should in no way be tolerated. There is no justification

in any case for the use of force or resorting to war and

taking innocent lives, undermining the situation and

destroying stability in the fight against terrorism.

My delegation wishes to reaffirm that the

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will continue

to cooperate fully with all Member States to uphold

and implement the purposes and principles of the

United Nations Charter under the ideas of

independence, peace and friendship.