'Russia Engages in Arms Trade with North Korea, Moves to Ease Sanctions Pressure'
The activities of the UN expert panel monitoring the implementation of UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against North Korea will be disbanded for the first time in 15 years due to Russia's opposition. It is analyzed that Russia, which has engaged in arms transactions with North Korea, has taken action to ease pressure from sanctions against North Korea. Concerns are being raised that the UN sanctions aimed at preventing North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile development will weaken.
The Security Council held a meeting on the 28th (local time) and put to a vote a resolution to extend the mandate of the expert panel under the North Korea Sanctions Committee, but it was rejected with 13 votes in favor, 1 against, and 1 abstention.
Russia, a permanent member, cast the opposing vote. For the resolution to pass, at least 9 of the 15 Security Council members must vote in favor, and none of the five permanent members?the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France?may exercise a veto.
Established in 2009 following North Korea's second nuclear test, the UN expert panel has been tasked with investigating suspected cases of sanctions violations by North Korea and has published in-depth reports twice a year on violations of sanctions implementation. The Security Council has annually extended the panel's mandate by one year through resolutions around March, but with the failure to adopt the resolution this time, the panel's mandate will end on the 30th of next month, leading to its disbandment after 15 years.
Russia exercised its veto because its demand to introduce a sunset clause on the North Korea sanctions was not reflected in the resolution. This has been analyzed as Russia becoming burdened by maintaining the expert panel amid its arms dealings with North Korea. Once the expert panel ceases its activities, the Security Council will lose a reliable means to inform UN member states about violations of North Korea sanctions.
Hwang Jun-guk, South Korea's ambassador to the UN, said after the agenda was rejected due to Russia's veto, "This is similar to destroying CCTV while committing a crime," and pointed out, "At this point, Russia seems more interested in supporting North Korea to supply ammunition and ballistic missiles needed for the Ukraine war than in upholding the nuclear non-proliferation regime or maintaining the full functioning of the Security Council."
Meanwhile, the annual panel report published this month specifically included photographic evidence of Russia violating North Korea sanctions by engaging in arms transactions with North Korea. Despite numerous circumstantial evidences, Russia denies the arms dealings with North Korea, citing a lack of clear evidence.
The US government also strongly criticized the suspension of the expert panel's activities due to Russia's veto.
John Kirby, White House National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications, said at a briefing that Russia's veto "undermines very important sanctions imposed by the United States and the UN Security Council in response to North Korea's multiple nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches through today's reckless action."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
