US State Department: "Not the Time to Ease Sanctions on North Korea"

"Continue Developing Nuclear and WMDs"
China Rejects Request to Ease Sanctions on North Korea

Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, is holding a press conference at the State Department building in Washington DC on the 25th of last month (local time).

On the 4th (local time), the U.S. Department of State stated, "Now is not the time to hastily ease sanctions on North Korea," according to a report by Voice of America (VOA).

In response to a question about Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun's request to ease sanctions on North Korea, the State Department said, "(Hasty easing of sanctions) would send the wrong message to North Korea," adding, "especially since North Korea continues to maintain and develop its prohibited weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs."

It continued, "President Donald Trump is committed to advancing the promises made at the Singapore North Korea-U.S. summit, including changing relations, building lasting peace, healing the legacy of war, and the complete denuclearization of North Korea," and said, "The United States remains dedicated to diplomacy to move toward these goals."

The State Department particularly emphasized, "The United States cannot do this alone," urging other countries to join in.

It added, "Members of the United Nations Security Council have unanimously stated that North Korea must avoid provocations, comply with its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions, and engage in sustained and substantive negotiations to achieve complete denuclearization."

Regarding criticisms that sanctions on North Korea are harming its people, the State Department said, "The United States is deeply concerned about the well-being of the North Korean people and the humanitarian situation in North Korea," but drew a line by stating, "This is a result of the North Korean regime prioritizing its illegal weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of its own people."

Earlier, on the 2nd (local time), Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun held a press conference at the UN headquarters, drawing attention to the draft resolution submitted by China and Russia on December 16 last year to ease sanctions on North Korea.

Ambassador Zhang repeatedly argued that sanctions on North Korea should be eased, citing the negative impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on North Korea.

Meanwhile, despite the first anniversary of the 'Hanoi No Deal,' North Korea omitted an official message to the U.S. and instead, through media representing its position, announced a 'military strengthening.'

The Choson Sinbo, the official newspaper of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, on the 2nd published an article titled "Today's North Korea-U.S. Confrontation is a Battle of Self-Reliance and Sanctions," stating, "Choson (North Korea) possesses invincible military power that no one can approach and will continue to strengthen it."

The newspaper acknowledged the prolonged deadlock in North Korea-U.S. relations as a fait accompli but criticized, "The extreme sanctions are paradoxically nothing more than the death throes of those cornered."

In particular, it evaluated, "With the reality that Choson has completed its national nuclear force, the United States, fearful for the safety of its mainland, came to the negotiation table and started North Korea-U.S. talks, but Washington's diplomatic team missed the opportunity to resolve their national security concerns by withdrawing their outdated hostile policy toward North Korea and improving bilateral relations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.