The United States, South Korea, and Japan are reportedly pushing for the establishment of a new multinational expert group to ensure the implementation of sanctions against North Korea. This group might be set up outside of the United Nations.
On Wednesday, sources told Reuters that the proposed new group aims to continue the work of the UN entity and would be operated by the United States, South Korea, Japan, with like-minded countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and some European nations also expected to join.
A senior South Korean government official stated, “The UN group has faced some challenges because China and Russia often attempt to downplay North Korea’s alleged sanction-evading behavior.”
Another senior official from South Korea mentioned that Seoul is inclined to initiate this mechanism among allies but could also seek formal approval from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
A third source mentioned that the group may also oversee the implementation of resolutions regarding North Korean human rights conditions passed by the Security Council, the UNGA, and the UN Human Rights Council.
During her visit to Seoul, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated on Wednesday that she will collaborate with South Korea and Japan to develop contingency plans within and outside the UN to prevent North Korea from engaging in illicit activities violating sanctions.
Speaking at a press conference in Seoul, she emphasized, “The key here is that we cannot let the work of the expert group go to waste.”
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also urged China and Russia to stop enabling North Korea’s illicit activities.
She said, “Russia and China will continue to try to thwart these efforts. Why? Firstly, Russia has already violated sanction rules, they have engaged in trade with North Korea, they are purchasing weapons in violation of Security Council resolutions. Together with China, they continue to shield North Korea from accountability, so I don’t expect them to cooperate or agree with any efforts we make to find another way forward, but that will not deter us from finding a path forward.”
During her visit, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield held talks with senior South Korean officials to discuss alternative measures for monitoring the sanctions against North Korea.
On March 28, Russia exercised its veto power in the Security Council to forcibly shut down the UN mechanism overseeing sanctions on North Korea, while the Chinese regime abstained from voting.
The expert group responsible for supervising sanctions against North Korea is set to conclude its work on April 30. For the past 15 years, this group has been monitoring the implementation of sanctions aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.