Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations

Statement by H.E. Ambassador Jihoon Cha

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea

Briefing on the situation in Libya (UNSMIL)

New York, 14 October 2025 (AM)                                   as delivered            

Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank SRSG Hanna Tetteh for her comprehensive briefing. I also welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Libya at today’s meeting.

The current ‘status quo’ in Libya should not be mistaken for ‘stability.’ As evidenced by the recent armed clashes in Tripoli, attacks against electoral bodies, and the recovery of 61 bodies of migrants over the past two weeks, the situation remains extremely fragile—barely held together by entrenched interests and divided institutions with weakened legitimacy.

Under this backdrop, now is the time for Libyans to move beyond this fragile status quo and take decisive steps toward sustainable peace and a functioning democracy.

With this in mind, I would like to highlight the following three points today.

First, the momentum generated by the announcement of UNSMIL’s political roadmap must now be translated into tangible actions toward credible elections.

As its first step, we take positive note of the recent agreement reached between the House of Representatives (HoR) and the High Council of State (HCS) on the appointment of the High National Elections Commission’s leadership, during their inaugural Joint Committee on Sovereign Positions.

We now urge both parties to swiftly and unconditionally act upon their commitments so that they could move to the next stage—amending the legal and constitutional framework for elections.

Meanwhile, we welcome the upcoming third round of municipal elections as an important step toward national elections and a testament to the Libyan people’s resolve to choose their own leaders.

Second, stabilizing Libya’s fragile security environment is a critical precondition for advancing such a political process.

It is encouraging that an agreement was reached in September between the Government of National Unity and Special Deterrence Force to de-escalate tensions in Tripoli. We also welcome all measures aimed at facilitating the withdrawal of armed forces under the Presidency Council’s Security and Military Arrangements Committee.

However, continued military build-ups and sporadic clashes across the country remain concerning. We call on all parties to fully respect the 2020 ceasefire agreement and restrain from unilateral actions that endanger long-suffering civilians.

Renewed and coordinated efforts should also be made to unify Libya’s fragmented security and military institutions.

Third, as the distorted economic structure itself remains one of the main drivers of Libya’s political and security instability, urgent economic reform is therefore indispensable to move forward.

Illicit oil exports and rampant fuel smuggling continue to deprive Libyan citizens of their basic needs while draining vital state revenues.

Libya’s national resources must serve all Libyans, through transparent, impartial economic institutions, and independent, effective oversight. It is also imperative to end the parallel economic systems of the East and West by adopting a unified national budget.

Mr. President,

We take note of the Secretary-General’s report on the Strategic Review of UNSMIL. On this basis, we will engage constructively with Council members to ensure that UNSMIL is best equipped to facilitate a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned process as its mandate is renewed this month.

The Republic of Korea remains steadfast in its unwavering support for UNSMIL and for the Libyan people in their pursuit of peace, stability, and democratic governance.

I thank you. /END/