US State Department Maintains North Korea's Designation as Terrorism Support State

7 Years Since Re-Designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 2017

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The U.S. Department of State released the "Country Reports on Terrorism 2022" on the 30th (local time), which includes the designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. The State Department has maintained North Korea on the list for seven years since redesignating it as a state sponsor of terrorism on November 20, 2017.

In the report, the State Department assessed that North Korea continues to support international terrorist activities. Previously, North Korea was first designated as a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. government in 1988 following the 1987 bombing of a Korean Air passenger plane, but was removed from the list in 2008.

However, the State Department reinstated North Korea on the list in 2017, judging that North Korea repeatedly supported international terrorist activities during the nine years after its removal and failed to take measures to resolve historical support issues related to international terrorism.

The State Department cited North Korea’s involvement in the 1970 hijacking of a Japanese aircraft and its continued protection of four members of the Japanese Red Army, who remain wanted by the Japanese government, as an example.

It also noted that although the Japanese government has continuously worked to ascertain the fate of many Japanese abducted in the 1970s and 1980s, only five have been repatriated to Japan.

The designation as a state sponsor of terrorism can be lifted only if the country meets certain conditions, such as not supporting international terrorism for the past six months and pledging not to support it in the future.

The State Department prepares and submits the annual Country Reports on Terrorism to Congress, and the description regarding North Korea has remained unchanged for the past four years.