US Diplomats Call For Emergency UNSC Meeting On North Korea

Wires reporting that the US has requested a special UN Security Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday to address concerns over North Korea's persistence testing of long-range ballistic missile and a potential nuclear test.

• North Korea has intensified testing of intercontinental missiles since a test in March – the country’s first long-range test since 2017- and has conducted 14 significant weapons tests since January.
• The United States said on Friday that it believes North Korea may be preparing a nuclear test as soon as this month.
• State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter: 'The United States assesses that the DPRK is preparing its Punggye-ri test site and could be ready to test there as early as this month.'
• Rosemary Dicarlo Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs wrote in March: 'In pursuing its nuclear capability and ballistic missile programmes, the DPRK defies the UN Security Council. We remain committed to working with all parties for sustainable peace and the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.'