UN Urges Sanctions Relief on North Korea and Others: "Someone's Crisis Is Our Crisis"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres has requested countries to grant sanctions relief for North Korea, Iran, and others. He emphasized the need to open pathways to secure food and medical supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to Foreign Policy (FP) on the 24th (local time), Secretary-General Guterres sent a letter to the leaders of the Group of Twenty (G20) requesting sanctions relief. He stated, "I ask for sanctions relief so that sanctioned countries can obtain food and essential health supplies," adding, "Now is not the time for exclusion but for solidarity." He further said, "In this era of an interconnected world, we must not forget that the health situation of the most vulnerable countries is ultimately the health situation faced by all nations." In this interconnected age of globalization, if one country suffers from an infectious disease, it inevitably spreads to other regions.

Former Portuguese Prime Minister Guterres, virtually confirmed as the next UN Secretary-General.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, also called for easing sanctions. Commissioner Bachelet said, "If pandemic control efforts in certain countries are delayed due to sanctions, the risk to all of us will increase," and added, "At this critical time, sanctions should be partially eased for global equitable health and the lives of countless people living in sanctioned countries."

She referred to Iran, where many deaths have occurred due to COVID-19, stating, "Sanctions that prevent the purchase of essential medicines and medical equipment, such as ventilators and protective gear for healthcare workers, must be lifted."

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