Signal EU Statement on Agenda Item 6: Application of Safeguards in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Summary

At the IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna from September 7-11, 2026, the EU, joined by ten countries including Albania, Norway, and Ukraine, delivered an official statement on Agenda Item 6 concerning safeguards in North Korea. The statement strongly condemns Russian officials for treating North Korea's denuclearization as a "closed issue," calling this inconsistent with NPT obligations and with UN Security Council resolutions that Russia itself voted for. It expresses serious concern over the "nuclear cooperation" clause included in the North Korea-Russia "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" treaty. Specific concerns listed include the expansion of uranium enrichment at Kangson, the new facility at Yongbyon, and repeated ballistic missile tests in August 2026. The statement reaffirms that North Korea cannot under any circumstances hold nuclear-weapon-state status under the NPT and calls for complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization (CVID).