Go to contents

Washington says it will not lift sanctions on Pyongyang

Posted November. 10, 2018 07:29,   

Updated November. 10, 2018 07:29

한국어

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York City on Thursday (local time) that the sanctions against North Korea will not be lifted. Russia requested that the United Nations Security Council hold a closed meeting on sanctions against North Korea. Haley’s remarks made ahead of UN Security Council closed consultations called by Russia to discuss exemptions from UN sanctions on North Korea are viewed as the U.S. strategy to lead public opinion.

Of some arguments that Washington is blocking humanitarian exemptions, Haley said that the humanitarian aid to Pyongyang has been diverted to the regime instead of reaching those in need and warned that the U.S. will not do anything if humanitarian aid does not reach to North Korean people.

Critics argue that the fact that North Korea asked the U.S. to postpone the meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean Workers’ Party Vice Chairman Kim Yong Chol on the U.S. midterm election day (Nov. 6) shows North Korea’s dissatisfaction with sanctions. CNN quoted a source as saying that “North Korea is getting really angry over the lack of any offer of sanctions relief from the U.S. and that their stance is that Washington must make a move before we make the next one.” CNN quoted another source that “Pyongyang canceled because it came to the conclusion that it wasn’t going to get anywhere with working level talks” so it canceled the meeting by phone on Nov. 6.

North Korea blasted the U.S. through its propaganda media after the planned high-level meeting with the U.S. was canceled. Although it is not an official position of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un or the North Korean leadership, the North is indirectly expressing its complaints about diplomatic standoff between the two countries.


Yong Park parky@donga.com · Na-Ri Shin journari@donga.com