QUAD counters transfer of nuclear technology to Pyongyang

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD, also known as the Quad), a strategic security dialogue among the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, held a summit in the United States on Saturday (local time), sending a warning message to North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile launches. The Quad nations reaffirmed “complete” denuclearization on the Korean peninsula, showing deep concern about governments trying to strengthen their military relations with the regime. Their message is seemingly aimed at Russia, which has recently made such an obvious move.

U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a joint statement titled "Wilmington Declaration” in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday. They jointly condemned Pyongyang for launching ballistic missiles and pursuing nuclear weapons against the U.N. Security Council resolutions, calling on the regime to fulfill UNSCR obligations, refrain from additional provocations, and engage in practical dialogue.

The Quad leaders also shared concern about the growing global proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies associated with the regime. They said in the joint statement, “We express our grave concern over North Korea’s use of proliferation networks, malicious cyber activity, and workers abroad to fund its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs,” urging all the U.N. member states to observe the relevant UNSCRs that prohibit the transfer to North Korea or procurement from the regime of all arms and related military supplies.

The Wilmington Declaration also expressed concern about countries enhancing military cooperation with the regime. It condemned them for directly dampening the global nonproliferation framework, seemingly keeping in mind that Russia could supply the regime with military technologies in return for their provision of missiles and ammunition.


Woo-Sun Lim imsun@donga.com