Image: Rodong Sinmun  | Kim Jong Un at a missile test

"Nuclear pariah North Korea is set to chair a United Nations forum on nuclear disarmament for four weeks from late May, the U.N. has announced, leading one Geneva-based advocacy group to encourage a diplomatic boycott of the event."

"The U.N. Conference on Disarmament will include discussions on nuclear weapons, preventing nuclear war and transparency in armament to support 'effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons', according to the U.N. website."

NK News

 

"It’s only a coordination role and largely a symbolic post – but still, it’s bad optics nevertheless,"

"North Korea is the worst example of not abiding by the nonproliferation regime. And that country assuming the lead of the relevant meeting demonstrates how ineffectual global governance can be."

Shin Beom-chul, director, Center for Diplomacy and Security, Korea Research Institute for National Strategy

 

"While the U.N. will likely defend North Korea’s appointment as simply an automatic rotation, no system should tolerate such a fundamental conflict of interests."

"It’s common sense that a disarmament body should not be headed by the world’s arch-villain on illegal weapons and nuclear proliferation, notorious for exporting missiles and nuclear know-how to fellow rogue regimes around the globe."

"'All of the delegations who took the floor', reported the UN’s summary, welcomed the North Korean’s presidency, and said that 'they looked forward to his [North Korea’s So Se Pyong] stewardship' and to working with him 'to revitalize and strengthen the Conference'. Those listed as having taken the floor were Canada, the UK, India, China, Nigeria, Portugal, Iran, Myanmar, Algeria, and UN official Jarmo Sareva."

Hillel Neuer, Executive Director, UN Watch

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits a munitions factory producing what state media KCNA called a ‘major weapon system’. Photograph: KCNA/Reuters

 North Korea's dear leader Kim Jong UN visited a munitions factory that produces a "major weapon system", according to state media on Friday. At the same time, North Korea conducted tests of an upgraded long-range cruise missile, along with a warhead of a tactical guided missile. In obvious preparation for taking on the prestigious position heading a United Nations Conference on Disarmament. So that the North Korean representative can speak with confidence on nuclear proliferation and other such global distractions.

In an absolute frenzy of activity Tuesday saw the test of an updated long-range cruise missile system. Oh, and yet another test held in confirmation of the power of a conventional warhead for a surface-to-surface tactical guided missile on Thursday. All diligently and dutifully and with an appropriate air of pride, recorded on the state media organ. No doubt confirming dispatches were sent out from North Korea to its interested friends and colleagues in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

 

Anadolu Agency

 

The munitions factory was lauded by President Kim in its grand progress achievement in "producing major weapons" and holding a "very important position and duty" in modernizing the country's armed forces. The result of which cannot be denied and sufficiently praised, in realizing its national defence development strategy.

A day earlier South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced their having detected the apparent launch of two short-range ballistic missiles. A revelation that saw the United States condemn the North for carrying out what is undeniably the sixth round of missile tests in this first month of the new year of 2022. Setting the tone for what lies ahead for North Korea's strategic weapons exploits.

The Joint chiefs of Staff of South Korea reported as well on the diligent actions of its rogue neighbour in drawing attention and concern from all of its near neighbours with the exception of its proud guardian China as a fledgling and most effective bulwark against the incursion of sordid Western notions of stability, security and peace through diplomatic negotiations, when it fired off another two cruise missiles into the sea off its east coast on Tuesday.

Composite photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, shows a long-range cruise missile being test-fired on Jan. 25, 2022