The United Nations (UN) Security Council’s North Korea Sanctions Committee has approved a request from the World Health Organization (WHO) for aid items to North Korea. This marks the first sanctions exemption approved by the committee this year.
On February 21, Voice of America (VOA) reported that the committee reviewed the WHO’s request submitted on June 3 and approved the entry of laboratory equipment. This equipment is intended for the prevention and control of vaccine-preventable diseases and other infectious diseases.
The exempted items, valued at approximately 63,000 USD, include 20 types of laboratory equipment and supplies. These range from carbon dioxide incubators and bench-top centrifuges to vertical autoclaves, biosafety cabinets, vacuum dryers, and voltage stabilizers. The approval also covers reagents and kits for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.
This exemption was granted under paragraph 25 of UN Security Council Resolution 2397. The committee stipulated that the approved items must be transferred within the next 12 months. They also recommended consolidating shipments when possible to improve transportation and customs efficiency.
The committee emphasized that these sanctions are not intended to negatively impact North Korean citizens. They urged member states to implement the sanctions faithfully while ensuring that humanitarian activities are not excessively restricted.
Reports indicate that the North Korea Sanctions Committee (1718 Committee) decided on June 5 to exempt some previously withheld sanctions. The exemptions cover 17 entities, including three from Gyeonggi Province, two domestic private organizations, four foreign private organizations (including some from the United States), and eight international organizations such as WHO, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Despite these approvals, the actual entry of these items hinges on North Korea’s response. Even after reopening its borders that were closed during the pandemic, North Korea continues to promote self-reliance and reject humanitarian assistance from the international community.