UN Says "Sanctions on North Korea Must Be Eased to Respond to COVID-19"

Attention on the 'Triangular Dialogue' Among South Korea, North Korea, and the US Leaders Mediated by COVID-19

On the 25th, the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers' Party, reported on its front page that workers (cadres) and builders are dedicating themselves to the construction work to complete the Pyongyang General Hospital by October 10, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party. Behind the flood of support materials at the construction site, a slogan reads, "Let us fully demonstrate the superiority of our country's socialist health care system!"

As the leaders of South Korea, North Korea, and the United States seek to find a breakthrough for 'triangular talks' centered on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), attention is drawn to the United Nations' repeated calls for easing sanctions on North Korea to aid in the COVID-19 response.

According to the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner, urged the easing of sanctions on North Korea in a statement released on the 24th (local time), emphasizing the need to protect global public health as well as the rights and lives of people living under sanctions.

Bachelet stated, "If the pandemic response efforts of certain countries are delayed due to sanctions, the risk to all of us will increase," naming North Korea alongside Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe as countries in need of sanctions relief.

She pointed out the vulnerability of the healthcare systems in these countries and expressed concern that "obstacles to importing essential medical supplies, including excessive sanctions compliance by banks, will cause prolonged harm to vulnerable populations."

Bachelet also noted, "The people in these countries are not responsible for the policies targeted by the sanctions," adding, "The populations have already been in precarious situations for a long time."

She emphasized, "At this critical time, to address the impact on global public health and support the rights and lives of millions of people in these countries, sectoral sanctions must be eased or suspended."

Furthermore, Bachelet appealed to the sanctioned countries for transparent information sharing and flexible access.

She said, "They must provide transparent information and accept essential humanitarian assistance," adding, "No country can fight a pandemic alone."

Earlier, on the 23rd, United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres recommended to the leaders of the Group of Twenty (G20) that sanctions be waived for sanctioned countries.

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 24th, President Moon Jae-in held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss bilateral cooperation related to the COVID-19 situation. Prior to this, President Trump had sent a letter to Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, proposing cooperation on COVID-19 prevention measures.

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