On membership of the DPRK in JINR

In 1956, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) was among the founding states of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and participated in development of documents regulating its activities, specifically the Charter of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, which states that “results achieved in scientific research carried out in the Institute shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes for the benefits of humanity”. In the following years, cooperation between JINR and DPRK research organizations, and participation of scientists and researchers from DPRK in various JINR projects conformed with the basic principles of the JINR mandate.

In recent years, the DPRK started to diverge from its international commitments taken on in the frames of the JINR fundamental documents, including the JINR Charter. In this regard, JINR supreme governing body, the Committee of Plenipotentiary Representatives of the Governments of the JINR Member States, at its annual meeting on 20 – 21 November 2015 has taken a decision to suspend the membership of the DPRK in JINR due to its failure to comply with the requirements of the JINR Charter.

Following the above decision of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries, starting from November 2015, еру DPRK has been denied the right to participate in JINR governing bodies, JINR science programmes or to benefit from JINR research results. From 31 March 2015, there are no specialists from the DPRK at JINR. JINR contacts with DPRK research community have since ceased at all levels.

The decision to suspend the DPRK membership in JINR was immediately and duly communicated to the Government of the DPRK through the DPRK Embassy in Moscow. The UN Security Council, in response to its enquiry, was also informed about the suspension of the DPRK membership in JINR on 7 December 2015.

Restoration of the DPRK membership in JINR will be possible strictly subject to and in conformity with requirements of the JINR Charter.