EU Statement at the IAEA Board of Governors on application of safeguards in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, delivered on 5 March 2025

Chair, 

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The following countries align themselves with this statement: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, San Marino, and Ukraine.

The EU thanks the Director General for the update provided on the DPRK in his opening statement.

The EU condemns the DPRK’s continued development of its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. We urge the DPRK to comply with its obligations under these resolutions and abandon all its nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, its ballistic missile programmes and its existing nuclear programmes, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. The DPRK must refrain from provocative actions that increase regional and global tensions. 

We are deeply concerned about the ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ Treaty signed during President Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024, which includes a reference to cooperation on so called “peaceful” nuclear energy. We call on Russia to abide by its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Any transfer of nuclear or ballistic missile-related technology from Russia to the DPRK would be another serious violation of UN Security Council Resolutions.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the expanding military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, including the DPRK’s deployment of troops and transfer of arms to Russia, in particular ballistic missiles, in flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolutions. We call on the DPRK and Russia to immediately cease these activities and abide by relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Chair,

The DPRK’s recurrent statements that the country intends to increase its nuclear arsenal are deeply worrisome. Our concern is amplified by the commissioning of the Light Water Reactor, the preparedness of the Punggye-Ri testing facilities to conduct a nuclear test, and operations at the centrifuge enrichment facility and 5MW(e) reactor, as reported by the IAEA. The DPRK has also expanded and renovated the Kangson complex, which shares infrastructure characteristics with the centrifuge enrichment facility at Yongbyon. 

The DPRK cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear weapon state under the NPT or any other special status in that regard. We are alarmed about the disturbing shift of Russia’s position on the denuclearisation of the DPRK, as expressed by Foreign Minister Lavrov. We urge the DPRK to return to compliance with the NPT and the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, and to bring into force an Additional Protocol. 

The EU strongly condemns the DPRK’s repeated ballistic missile launches conducted in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, including most recently on 6 and 14 January. The DPRK must also abandon all its programmes of means of delivery for weapons of mass destruction, as well as its satellite launch programme based on ballistic missile technology.

We urge the DPRK to refrain from testing nuclear weapons and to reaffirm the moratorium on long-range ballistic missile testing and nuclear tests. Furthermore, we urge the DPRK to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), without further delay or preconditions.

The EU calls on all UN Member States to prevent the DPRK from acquiring or financing materials, and knowledge benefiting its illegal weapons programmes. All UN Member States must ensure the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. We stress that UN sanctions remain fully in place, despite the Russian veto that prevented the Panel of Experts of the Committee established pursuant to the UN Security Council Resolution 1718 from continuing its work. Russia’s decision severely impacts all UN Member States’ ability to implement UN Security Council resolutions and address the DPRK’s destabilising actions.

Chair,

The EU urges the DPRK to return to diplomacy and to engage in meaningful discussions with all relevant parties in order to build a strong basis for sustainable peace and security and to take steps aimed at pursuing the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. This includes the IAEA’s return to the DPRK. The EU stands ready to support any meaningful diplomatic process to this end.

We express our appreciation for the IAEA's monitoring of the DPRK’s nuclear activities, and readiness to engage with the DPRK, including on the issue of nuclear safety. Moreover, any verification effort will benefit from technical assistance by the IAEA and, as appropriate, the CTBTO. 

The EU requests the Director General to keep the Board of Governors informed of any developments and to maintain this item on the agenda of its future meetings.

Thank you, Chair.