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| ▲ In this file photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on Oct. 19, 2023, North Korean Foreign Minister Choi Sun-hui speaks during a welcoming reception for her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Pyongyang. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
N Korea-sanctions monitoring
N. Korea warns countries joining U.S.-led sanctions monitoring team will pay 'dear price'
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's top diplomat has criticized a new multilateral sanctions monitoring team led by the United States as "unlawful and illegitimate" and warned the participating countries will "pay a dear price," state media reported Sunday.
North Korea's Foreign Minister Choi Sun-hui issued a statement condemning the sanctions regime after South Korea, the U.S. and Japan on Thursday announced the launch of the monitoring mechanism with eight other countries after Russia's veto ended a U.N. monitoring panel's mandate in April.
The other countries are France, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Choi said the monitoring team is "unlawful and illegitimate" and constitutes "a denial of the U.N. Charter," according to the English-language statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"The forces involved in the smear campaign against the DPRK will have to pay a dear price for it," Choi said, referring to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Choi also criticized the U.S. for pursuing its "hegemonic interests" and warned of "inevitable reactions" in response to what she described as a violation of North Korea's sovereignty.
The monitoring team is expected to monitor and report violations of U.N. sanctions, which are designed to prevent Pyongyang from advancing its nuclear and missile programs.
North Korea has been accused of evading these sanctions through methods such as ship-to-ship transfers, with alleged support from countries like China and Russia.
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