Marcos urges North Korea to follow UN Security Council resolutions

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday urged North Korea to comply with the United Nations (UN) security council resolutions as he expressed concern over its firing of ballistic missiles.

During his intervention at the 41st ASEAN Summit Retreat, Marcos talked about recent events and developments in the region and around the world that he said slowed down global efforts towards economic progress and "uncovered the real struggle facing the human race: the defense of the common universal values that underpin our common humanity."

"The Philippines reiterates its grave concerns over the series of missile launches conducted by the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) this year," Marcos said.

"We call on the DPRK to comply with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and we encourage the continuation of dialogue and engagement among concerned parties with the aim of stabilizing the situation in the region," he added.

The President also expressed concern over nuclear weapons becoming conventional.

"Our greatest fear is that if nuclear weapons become conventional weapons by the use of another country, for example by Russia in Ukraine and it becomes a conventional weapon," Marcos said.

"It will encourage others to unleash their nuclear weapons. This will be the end of us all," he added.

North Korea had fired three short range ballistic missiles, prompting a rare air raid warning for a South Korean island.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had called a meeting of the National Security Council over the launch, which analysts said was one of the most "aggressive and threatening" in many years.

Pyongyang's latest launch came as South Korea and the United States staged their largest-ever joint air drills, dubbed "Vigilant Storm", which involve hundreds of warplanes from both sides.

Marcos also expressed concern on the recent strains in cross-strait relations between China and Taiwan as he echoed the call of ASEAN foreign ministers last August for both parties "to observe maximum restraint and refrain from taking provocative actions." -NB, GMA News