Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary: Non-signatory North Korea has not commented on its position on accession to the convention or participated in any meetings of the convention. It produces and stockpiles cluster munitions, but is not known to have used or exported them.
Policy
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
North Korea did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the convention and has never attended a meeting on cluster munitions or made a public statement on the issue.
On 7 December 2015, North Korea was absent from the vote on the first UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which urges states outside the convention to “join as soon as possible.”[1] A total of 140 countries voted in favor of the non-binding resolution, including many non-signatories.
North Korea is not party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is also not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
North Korea is not known to have used or exported cluster munitions.
Jane’s Information Group lists North Korea as producing and stockpiling submunition warheads for 122mm, 170mm, and 240mm rockets. Jane’s Information Group also cites the North Korean Air Force as possessing KMGU dispensers (which deploy submunitions), RBK-500 cluster bombs, and unspecified types of anti-armor and anti-runway cluster bombs.[2]
[1] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 70/54, 7 December 2015. North Korea was also absent during the first round of voting on the draft resolution in UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security on 4 November 2015. “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 70/L.49/Rev.1, 4 November 2015.
[2] Robert Hewson, ed., Jane’s Air-Launched Weapons, Issue 44 (Surrey, UK: Jane’s Information Group Limited, 2004), p. 841; and Terry J. Gander and Charles Q. Cutshaw, eds., Jane’s Ammunition Handbook 2001–2002 (Surrey, UK: Jane’s Information Group Limited, 2001).