US Imposes Sanctions on International Criminal Court Officials Investigating Its Troops

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The United States has imposed sanctions on officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the ICC authorized an investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops stationed overseas.

On the 11th (local time), President Donald Trump signed an executive order approving economic sanctions and travel restrictions against ICC personnel investigating possible war crimes committed by U.S. military and intelligence agents related to the Afghanistan war.

This executive order allows the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to block the U.S. financial assets of ICC officials directly involved in investigating, harassing, or detaining U.S. personnel, and to bar these officials and their families from entering the United States.

This move is presumed to be a response to the ICC's authorization in March to investigate alleged war crimes committed by the Taliban armed rebel group, Afghan government forces, as well as U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan. The ICC had dismissed a request from its prosecutor last April to initiate an investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan but later approved it on appeal, leading to a confrontation with the United States.

U.S. diplomatic and security officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, held a press conference on the same day strongly criticizing the ICC, reflecting this sentiment.

Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICC was established in 2002 to try and punish individuals who commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. Although 123 countries worldwide, including South Korea, participate, the United States, Russia, China, and North Korea are not members.

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