UN adds pressure on US to ease sanctions on North Korea

Frank Smith
Press TV, Seoul

The sanctions by the United Nations Security Council against North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs have been in place for more than a decade. The UN now acknowledges that the US-backed sanctions were at least partly responsible for North Korea’s food and medicine shortages.

The special rapporteur was echoing and backed the call by some member states for sanctions relief for North Korea.

This weekend, the South Korean and US envoys on North Korea met in Seoul, with South Korea calling for an official declaration of end to the 1950-53 Korean War, and the US agreeing to discuss the proposal, later.

The US has often repeated its position that it is willing to meet with North Korea, anytime, anywhere, without preconditions. US officials have now added that they hold no hostile intent toward North Korea, while at the same time pressing for a stronger implementation of the controversial United Nations Security Council sanctions.

South Koreans express their hope the international community could at least provide humanitarian aid.

South Korean president Moon Jae-in has sought to build peace with North Korea, arranging summits and proposing other avenues of engagement, while the US maintained a hard line. President Moon will leave office next spring.

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