NEW YORK CITY: At the United Nations Wednesday, the United States denounced Russia for 鈥渃ynically obstructing鈥� the monitoring of North Korea鈥檚 compliance with sanctions, in Moscow鈥檚 bid to avoid facing reproach for using Pyongyang鈥檚 weapons in the war against Ukraine.
Several members of the Security Council, including the US and South Korea, convened a meeting Wednesday to ensure member states are 鈥渁ware of sanctions violations and evasion activity鈥� that generates revenue for North Korea鈥檚 鈥渦nlawful鈥� weapons of mass destruction and 鈥渂allistic missile programs despite Russia鈥檚 veto,鈥� said interim US ambassador Dorothy Shea.
In March 2024, Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution, ending the UN sanctions monitoring system for Pyongyang鈥檚 sanctions.
Sanctions were implemented in 2006, and were strengthened several times by the Security Council, but the committee responsible for such monitoring no longer exists.
Shea alleges that since late 2023, North Korean has transferred over 24,000 containers of munitions and munitions-related material, and more than 100 ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine.
鈥淭he DPRK continues brazenly to violate the Council鈥檚 resolutions by exporting coal and iron ore to China, the proceeds of which directly fund its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs,鈥� Shea said.
鈥淚t is clear from evidence presented today that Russia is cynically obstructing the Council on DPRK sanctions implementation in order to try to escape reproach for its own violations.鈥�
South Korean Ambassador Joonkook Hwang agreed, denouncing the 鈥渋llegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea,鈥� saying it has 鈥渟everely undermined the Security Council sanctions regime on North Korea and threatens regional and global peace and security.
In May 2022, Russia and China vetoed a resolution imposing new sanctions against Pyongyang, and have advocated for easing sanctions since 2019.
The current sanctions on North Korea have no end date.