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Washington trusts Seoul to check for coal smuggling case

Washington trusts Seoul to check for coal smuggling case

Posted August. 11, 2018 07:17,   

Updated August. 11, 2018 07:17

한국어

As North Korean coal, which is designated as an item subject to an import ban under the U.N. Security Council Resolution, has been confirmed to have been illegally brought into South Korea, the U.S. government says that it trusts the South Korean government’s words that it will investigate into the case.

During the White House briefing by State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, there were more questions regarding the smuggling of North Korean coal into South Korea than those on North Korea-U.S. dialogue. When asked about the U.S. position on the smuggling of North Korean coal into South Korea, Ms. Nauert said, “We have a great relationship with the Government of South Korea. My understanding is that they are looking into reports of this,” adding that “We encourage all countries to maintain sanctions.”

When a reporter asked how the United States is going to trust South Korea, which smuggled North Korean coal behind Washington, Nauert said, “We trust when they say that they will investigate that they will investigate. We closely coordinate with them. They’ve been longstanding allies and partners.”

Meanwhile, of the expectation that South Korea will speed up the process of providing North Korea with 8 million dollars in humanitarian aid as the U.N. Security Council adopted eased guidelines, the U.S. State Department said easing economic or diplomatic pressure would reduce the chance of meeting our target (of denuclearization), according to the Voice of America.


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