SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday vowed to take “resolute” measures against the newly formed South Korean-led body established to oversee U.N. sanctions targeting its nuclear and missile activities.
The North’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement through its state-run news media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), following the group’s commencement of official activities.
The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) was created in October last year by South Korea and 10 other countries, including the U.S., Japan, and Australia, after a U.N. sanctions monitoring panel was dismantled following Russia’s veto. The team held its first operational meeting in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday.
In a strongly worded statement, a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized the sanctions monitoring body led by South Korea, known as the MSMT. The spokesperson issued a stern warning, stating that the actions of hostile forces attempting to block North Korea from exercising its legitimate rights could lead to serious consequences that would be difficult for the perpetrators to handle.
The spokesperson emphasized that the U.S.'s reliance on sanctions would only create problems for them. The statement further clarified that while the North does not seek the removal of sanctions, it will not tolerate any actions by the U.S. and its allies that infringe upon the country's sovereignty under the pretext of enforcing sanctions.
MSMT mandate is to investigate the North’s sanctions violations and evasion efforts and to publish reports supporting U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The North’s hard-line stance seemingly signals that its response to international sanctions-related moves is unlikely to shift toward negotiation, potentially heightening tensions between Washington and Pyongyang.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
