The Ministry of Unification expressed deep regret over Russia’s veto that prevented the extension of the term of the expert panel under the UN Security Council’s Sanctions Committee against North Korea.
Kim In Ae, Vice Spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, said in a regular briefing on the 29th, “Russia’s recent veto has put an end to the activities of the expert panel that has been diligently monitoring North Korea’s violations of sanctions, such as nuclear and missile development and weapon exports to Russia. This act shields North Korea’s illegal activities from the international community’s eyes and ears.”
Vice Spokesperson Kim emphasized, “Even if the activities of the expert panel are suspended, the obligation to comply with sanctions against North Korea remains the same. We will continue to place our best efforts into creating an environment where North Korea has no choice but to abandon its misguided path.”
Previously, Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, exercised its veto against extending the term of the expert panel at the Security Council meeting on the 28th (local time). As a result, the term of the expert panel will end on April 30, 15 years after its establishment.
The expert panel has been assisting the Security Council’s Sanctions Committee against North Korea, releasing two reports on sanctions compliance each year and playing the role of a sanctions violation monitor. With the end of their activities, they speculated that North Korea’s sanctions monitoring network would inevitably become much looser than before.