Lee In-young "International Community Agrees on Efforts to Improve North Korea Sanctions Procedures... Will Continue Efforts for Sanctions Exemptions"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Minister of Unification Lee In-young stated that the United States and the international community have agreed on efforts to improve the sanction exemption procedures for humanitarian cooperation with North Korea, and he pledged to continue striving for sanction exemptions in the future.

On the morning of the 3rd, Minister Lee delivered a congratulatory speech at the seminar "Spring of Peace Again, A New Path for the Korean Peninsula," held at the Irum Center in Yeouido, Seoul, hosted by Choi Jong-yoon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, and 46 members of the National Assembly. He said, "Through continuous consultations with the international community, we will continue to work so that sanction exemptions related to humanitarian cooperation can be carried out swiftly, flexibly, and more broadly."

He also emphasized that the South Korean government's efforts for sanction exemptions have gained global consensus. Minister Lee said, "Based on the consensus of the international community and the steady efforts of our government and civil organizations, the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea sanctions partially improved the sanction exemption procedures for emergency humanitarian aid last November," adding, "The international community, including the United States, has agreed with our government's efforts to improve sanction procedures for humanitarian cooperation, resulting in a more advanced achievement."

He added, "Following last year, I hope that the sanction exemption procedures related to humanitarian cooperation will be further improved so that a path for comprehensive approval centered on a one-year plan can be opened, and we will strive to make that happen."

Earlier, in response to Minister Lee mentioning the "need to review sanctions" in an interview with the Financial Times, U.S. and European Union (EU) officials rebutted by stating that "North Korea's crisis is due to the policies of the North Korean authorities, not sanctions." Amid this, Minister Lee emphasized that the South Korean government's efforts for sanction exemptions are yielding results and expressed his determination to continue striving for sanction exemptions.

Minister Lee also urged the North to respond to these government efforts. He said, "What remains now is the North's response," and added, "I take this opportunity to urge the North to come forward quickly on the path of building a life and safety community on the Korean Peninsula, starting from COVID-19 quarantine cooperation and expanding to overall health and medical cooperation."