Nuclear Weapons Ban Begins Without World's Nuclear Powers

Reporter Rosyn Park ㅣ 2021-01-22 18:50

(Photo: KCNA-Yonhap News)

A U.N. treaty calling for a comprehensive ban on nuclear weapons has come into force Friday.

It includes an undertaking not to develop tests or threaten to use them.

But the nine countries known or believed to possess nuclear weapons -- the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel -- have signed on.

The BBC's Jonathan Beale has more.

[Reporter]

This is not the first U.N. treaty to set out the goal towards nuclear disarmament.

The 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty has been signed by 190 nations, but its main focus has been on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons rather than a complete ban.

While there has been some reduction in stockpiles, states continue to modernize their arsenal.

Other nations have simply ignored that treaty.

None of the 122 countries that have signed up to this new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons actually has them.

But those campaigning for disarmament hope it will renew the political pressure.