South Korea envoy calls North Korea's nukes 'most urgent' NPT threat
Synopsis
At the NPT review conference in New York, South Korea's vice foreign minister singled out North Korea as the world's most pressing nonproliferation challenge — and broke new ground by publicly calling on Russia to stop its military cooperation with Pyongyang, a move that signals Seoul's intent to use multilateral forums to isolate both actors simultaneously.
Key Takeaways
Jeong Yeon-doo , South Korea's vice foreign minister, called North Korea the "most urgent" challenge to the global nonproliferation regime at the NPT conference in New York on 28 April 2025 .
He described the DPRK as the only country to have benefited from the NPT, announced withdrawal, and openly continued nuclear weapons development.
South Korea urged Russia to cease what it called "illegal military cooperation" with North Korea that violates UN Security Council resolutions.
The NPT entered into force in 1970 ; North Korea announced its withdrawal in 2003 , making it the only state to have done so.
The NPT review conference is held every five years to assess member states' compliance with treaty commitments.
South Korea's top nuclear envoy Jeong Yeon-doo has described North Korea's nuclear programme as the "most urgent" challenge to the global nonproliferation regime, delivering the assessment in a keynote address at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference in New York on Monday, 28 April 2025. Seoul's foreign ministry confirmed the remarks the following day.
What Jeong Said at the NPT Conference
Jeong Yeon-doo, who serves as vice foreign minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence, used the multilateral forum to single out Pyongyang as a uniquely destabilising actor. "The DPRK is the only case that has benefited from the NPT regime, announced its withdrawal, and openly continued the development of nuclear weapons, thereby remaining the most pressing challenge to the nonproliferation regime," he said, according to the ministry statement.
Jeong also called on all NPT-committed nations to send a unified signal to North Korea. "All countries committed to upholding the NPT regime must send a clear message that returning to the treaty is the only way to ensure security and prosperity," he added.
South Korea's Call on Russia
In a pointed diplomatic move, Jeong directly addressed Russia, urging Moscow to "cease its illegal military cooperation" with North Korea — cooperation that Seoul and Western governments argue violates United Nations Security Council resolutions. "We urge Russia to halt its illegal military cooperation with North Korea, which violates UN Security Council resolutions, and to fulfill its responsibilities in safeguarding the global non-proliferation regime," Jeong stated.
The call reflects growing concern in Seoul and among Western allies over reported arms transfers between Pyongyang and Moscow, particularly in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Critics argue that such cooperation not only undermines sanctions but also emboldens North Korea's weapons development ambitions.
Background: North Korea and the NPT
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which entered into force in 1970, is a multilateral framework designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. South Korea acceded to the treaty in 1975, according to Yonhap news agency.
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), announced its withdrawal from the NPT in 2003 — making it the only country to have done so — and has since conducted multiple nuclear tests and developed intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities, according to international monitoring bodies.
Why This Moment Matters
The NPT review conference, held every five years to assess member states' compliance with treaty commitments, provides a rare multilateral platform for airing grievances and building consensus. However, past review conferences — including those in 2015 and 2022 — have ended without agreed final documents, largely due to divisions between nuclear-armed states and non-nuclear members.
This comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with Pyongyang having conducted a record number of missile tests in recent years and reportedly accelerating warhead miniaturisation efforts. South Korea's unusually direct call-out of Russia at a nonproliferation forum signals a broader diplomatic strategy to isolate both Pyongyang and its backers on the international stage.
How member states respond to Seoul's appeal — particularly the five recognised nuclear powers — will likely shape the trajectory of this review cycle and the NPT's credibility as a disarmament instrument.
Point of View
The Russia-North Korea arms nexus was addressed primarily through bilateral channels or US-led statements; raising it at the NPT signals that Seoul wants the international community, including non-aligned states, to hold Moscow accountable. The deeper problem is structural: the NPT has no enforcement mechanism for a state that withdraws, leaving North Korea in a legal grey zone it has exploited for over two decades. Without a credible multilateral response framework, successive review conferences risk becoming little more than rhetorical exercises.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did South Korea call North Korea the most urgent NPT challenge?
South Korea's vice foreign minister Jeong Yeon-doo argued that North Korea is uniquely destabilising because it is the only country to have benefited from the NPT, announced its withdrawal, and openly continued nuclear weapons development. This makes Pyongyang a singular threat to the nonproliferation regime's credibility.
What is the NPT and why does it matter?
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a multilateral framework that entered into force in 1970, aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful nuclear energy use. It is the cornerstone of global disarmament architecture, with nearly all nations as signatories.
Why did South Korea urge Russia to stop military cooperation with North Korea?
Seoul and Western governments allege that Russia's military cooperation with North Korea — reportedly involving arms transfers — violates UN Security Council resolutions and undermines international sanctions. South Korea used the NPT forum to publicly pressure Moscow to fulfil its nonproliferation responsibilities.
When did North Korea withdraw from the NPT?
North Korea announced its withdrawal from the NPT in 2003, making it the only country ever to have done so. It has since conducted multiple nuclear tests and developed intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities.
What happens at the NPT review conference?
The NPT review conference is held every five years to assess how member states are implementing their treaty commitments. Past conferences in 2015 and 2022 ended without agreed final documents due to divisions between nuclear and non-nuclear states.
