The Republic of Korea welcomes the adoption of resolution 2118. This resolution marks a historic moment in which the Security Council has finally come to a unified position on the crisis in Syria. It is my sincere hope that this consensus propels us towards fulfilling the long overdue responsibility this Council owes the Syrian people.

In this regard, the Republic of Korea commends the intensive efforts made by the US, Russia, and other stake-holders, as well as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The Republic of Korea condemns the use of chemical weapons in the strongest possible terms, and reiterates its view that all chemical weapons, not just in Syria but in all other States, should be permanently eliminated. The use of chemical weapons is a grave war crime and a serious violation of international law. More significantly, today's resolution articulates that the use of chemical weapons anywhere constitutes a threat to international peace and security.

While adopting this resolution is an important step, only its full implementation will determine the true value of our collective enterprise. The robust language and the binding nature of this resolution reflect this Council's strong commitment to completely eliminate chemical weapons in Syria.

It is also significant that this resolution reserves measures under Chapter VII in case of non-compliance. We believe that it is indeed the task of the entire international community to encourage thorough and prompt implementation of this resolution.

Although resolution 2118 is focused on the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria, the international community cannot afford to allow acts of impunity. As stipulated in the resolution, the Security Council must see to it that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons are held accountable.

The Security Council should remain focused on the broader goal of resolving the Syrian crisis, which has continued for over two and a half years. We would like to underline the importance of the provisions of today's resolution calling for the convening of an international conference on Syria to implement the Geneva Communiqué. The Republic of Korea sincerely hopes that this conference will be convened as soon as possible with a view to putting an end to the tragic suffering of the Syrian people and the regional instability caused by the Syrian situation.　/End/