Weakened Monitoring of North Korea's Nuclear and Missile Development
South Korea, US, Japan Consider New Sanctions Monitoring Body
North Korea's Arms Market Grows Amid Ukraine and Middle East Wars
North Korea conducted a training exercise on the 22nd under the guidance of Chairman Kim Jong-un, operating 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher units within the national nuclear weapons comprehensive management system known as the nuclear trigger system for the first time, according to a report by Korean Central Television on the 23rd. [Korean Central Television footage] [Image source=Yonhap News]
The expert panel monitoring the implementation of UN Security Council sanctions resolutions against North Korea will conclude its activities on the 30th (local time). As North Korea expands its arms trade market with Russia and Iran amid the Ukraine and Middle East wars, concerns are rising that the sanctions monitoring network will weaken further.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and major foreign media on the day, the expert panel, which has investigated suspected cases of North Korea's sanctions violations within the UN for the past 15 years and issued in-depth reports annually, will end its term on this day. This is due to the rejection of the resolution to extend the expert panel's term by Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, exercising its veto power on the 28th of last month.
The expert panel has recently been investigating military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. In a 32-page confidential report submitted to the Security Council after a recent trip to Ukraine, the expert panel revealed that missile debris fired from Russia to Kharkiv, Ukraine in January was identified as belonging to the North Korean Hwasong-11 missile series.
South Korea, the United States, and Japan are considering establishing a new sanctions monitoring body to replace the expert panel but have yet to reach a conclusion. There is talk of placing the monitoring body outside the UN without the participation of Russia and China, who are negative toward North Korea sanctions. In this case, concerns are raised that North Korea, Russia, and China will undermine the credibility of the investigations.
Experts expect arms trade among North Korea, Russia, and Iran to increase further. Bruce Bechtol, a professor at Angelo State University and former official at the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) on the day, "From North Korea's perspective, markets have emerged whenever there are unstable or violent situations worldwide," adding, "The number of shells and missiles used in the Ukraine war has increased exponentially, and North Korea's arms market has grown larger."
Recently, North Korea sent a delegation led by Foreign Economic Minister Yoon Jeong-ho to Iran, and through this visit, it is possible that discussions on missile technology exchange as well as nuclear weapons took place. David Albright, president of the US Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), told VOA, "More cooperation on missiles and potential nuclear issues is expected between North Korea and Iran."
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