Holiday Ayo - North Korea on Saturday (December 20) issued a call to oppose "unilateral pressure measures imposed by the West" and advocate for an equal and multipolar world. 

“All countries committed to maintaining world peace and security must firmly oppose unilateral pressure measures imposed by the West if they want to build an equal and multipolar world," the Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang said in a statement. 

Globally, "voices are being raised" to eliminate "unilateral pressure measures" that violate all principles of the UN Charter and international law, according to the statement. 

The ministry also noted the recent informal plenary meeting held on December 4 to commemorate the International Day Against Unilateral Coercive Measures, where the US and its "subordinate forces" condemned "their hostile actions that undermine the sovereignty and right to existence and development of sovereign states." 

North Korea, along with Russia, China, and Iran, is among the countries subject to unilateral sanctions outside the mandate of the UN Security Council.

They urged the international community to "firmly reject and oppose unilateral coercive measures that are unlawful and contrary to the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference, and respect for self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter," the statement said. 

“Unilateral coercive measures are incompatible with peace and human development, as they violate human dignity and rights and hinder socio-economic development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by developing countries. They demanded their unconditional elimination," it added. 

The International Day Against Unilateral Coercive Measures is observed annually on December 4, designated by the UN General Assembly in June 2025 to highlight the negative impact of economic/political pressure that violates international law, particularly detrimental to developing countries and human rights, and to encourage dialogue rather than coercion.