1. The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) 2016 Mid-Level Political Meeting in Washington, the US, on January 27, issued a Chairman’s Summary affirming the importance of utilizing the PSI and other cooperative means to prevent the transfer of WMD technology to the DPRK, following the illegal nuclear test by the DPRK.

◦ The meeting brought together about 150 representatives from 70 PSI-endorsing states, including the Republic of Korea, the US (the host country), Russia, Canada, Singapore, Japan, France, Spain, the UK, New Zealand and Vietnam.

2. At the meeting, the ROK stressed that the international community should not tolerate North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs since its fourth nuclear test as well as growing nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities poses a grave threat to international peace and security and also shake the very foundation of the international nonproliferation regime.

◦ The ROK further urged the international community to adopt the most robust and comprehensive UN Security Council resolution to send a clear message to North Korea that it should pay a price for its persistent violations of international obligations. The ROK also called upon all PSI Partners to make more efforts to prevent North Korea from advancing its WMD capability.

◦ With regard to the international community’s efforts to prevent North Korea from acquiring WMD capability, the US underscored the importance of the PSI and the need to toughen the UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea. A number of the participating countries, including Japan, the UK, Australia, Poland and Singapore, condemned North Korea for its nuclear test and exchanged views on the role of the PSI in preventing North Korea from advancing its nuclear program.

3. The ROK, since its endorsement of the PSI in 2009, has contributed to the development and strengthening of the PSI, including by participating in the PSI’s Operational Experts Group (OEG) from November 2010 and by hosting a PSI Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop and an Exercise Eastern Endeavor in October 2010; an OEG meeting and an Exercise Eastern Endeavor in September 2012; and an Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop in July 2015.


* unofficial translation