Foreign minister Park Jin has called on China and Russia to play a constructive role in addressing North Korean nuclear and missile threats as permanent members of the UN Security Council(UNSC).

The minister made the call on Thursday in an interview with Yonhap News after South Korea was elected as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the first time in eleven years on Tuesday.

Minister Park said that although the UNSC is the highest decision-making body of the UN, its ability to function in response to the North’s illegal provocations is virtually paralyzed, which is not desirable for the peace and stability of the international community.

Park said that South Korea, now as a non-permanent member of the council, will urge China and Russia, two of the five permanent members, to play a constructive role regarding North Korea issues.

The minister said that Seoul will continue efforts to closely communicate and consult with Beijing and Moscow on Korean Peninsula issues as well as on peace and stability in Northeast Asia, expecting that South Korea’s election will provide more opportunities for communication.

The top diplomat also pledged to closely consult with UNSC members so that the council can hold a formal meeting to address the issue of North Korean human rights violations, which has not been held for the past five years.