Seoul: The top diplomats of the Group of Seven (G7) countries condemned North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile launch in the "strongest terms" on Tuesday, reiterating their call for the "complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The officials from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the High Representative of the European Union issued a joint statement after Pyongyang claimed to have successfully test-fired a Hwasong-19 ICBM on Thursday.According to Yonhap News Agency, the diplomats expressed their disapproval, stating, "We deplore that the DPRK once again chose to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of the people in the DPRK," referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. They further highlighted that "the DPRK continues to advance its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities and to escalate its destabilizing activities."Th e diplomats renewed their call for Pyongyang to end its nuclear and WMD programs, emphasizing the need for "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." They demanded that North Korea "abandon all its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner in accordance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs)."The statement also urged UNSC Members to adhere to their commitments and called on all U.N. member states to fully and effectively implement relevant UNSCRs. The G7 stressed their commitment to working with concerned partners toward the goal of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and upholding the free and open rules-based international order.
- October 12, 2026
