Latest news with #UNSCRs
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
North Korea sent Russia at least 100 ballistic missiles last year, monitors find
Russia and North Korea have engaged in "unlawful military cooperation," including arms transfers of up to 9 million shells and "at least 100 ballistic missiles" in 2024, according to a report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) published May 29. The MSMT is made up of 11 United Nations member states and was formed in October 2024 to monitor and report on the implementation of UN sanctions against North Korea in light of deepening military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. The watchdog's first report presents evidence that North Korea and Russia violated United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) and engaged in illegal activities throughout 2024. Violations include deliveries of weapons and military equipment, Russian training of North Korean troops for deployment in direct combat against Ukrainian forces, supply of refined petroleum products to North Korea above UN-mandated caps, and correspondent banking between the two countries. In 2024 alone, North Korea sent Russia at least 100 ballistic missiles, an MSMT participating state found. These missiles "were subsequently launched into Ukraine to destroy civilian infrastructure and terrorize populated areas such as Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia," the report said. Read also: Infighting around EU rearmament undermines grand ambitions for European defense Russian-flagged vessels delivered "as many as 9 million rounds of mixed artillery and multiple rocket launcher ammunition" from North Korea to Russia in 49 shipments from January to December 2024, an MSMT participating state found. The cargo was sent from Russia's far-eastern ports to ammunition depots in southwestern Russia for use in the full-scale war against Ukraine. Open-source data reviewed by the Open Source Centre (OSC) indicates that Russian vessels delivered between 4.2 and 5.8 million rounds of 122 mm and 152 mm ammunition between August 2023 and March 2025. The report also confirmed that North Korea deployed over 11,000 soldiers to Russia's Kursk Oblast for training and combat operations against Ukrainian troops. According to the MSMT, "these forms of unlawful cooperation ... contributed to Moscow's ability to increase its missile attacks against Ukrainian cities including targeted strikes against critical civilian infrastructure." The MSMT also documented transfers of arms from Russia to North Korea. Moscow is believed to have sent Pyongyong short-range air defense systems, advanced electronic warfare systems, and at least one Pantsir-class combat vehicle, the report said. Russia provided additional support to North Korea's ballistic missile development program, leading to improvements in missile guidance performance, and MSMT participating state said. The documented arms transfers violate longstanding UN embargoes on material shipments between UN member states and North Korea. North Korea reportedly began supplying Russia with weapons in 2023. Pyongyang's involvement in the war escalated in fall 2024, when thousands of North Korean troops were dispatched to Russia's western border. The deployment came several months after the two nations signed a defense treaty in June, requiring either state to render military aid to the other in the event of an attack. Despite this, North Korea only publicly admitted its involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine in late April 2025. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said in May that his country's participation in the war was part of a "sacred mission." Recent days have also seen a surge in Russian aerial attacks against Ukraine. For three nights in a row, Moscow barraged cities across Ukraine with drones and missiles, including ballistics. The MSMT report confirmed that Russia has attacked Ukraine with North Korean-made ballistic missiles — and that these weapons contain foreign parts provided by third-party distributors. Read also: How much does a Russian drone attack on Ukraine cost? The question is more complicated than it sounds We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Korea Herald
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
S. Korea to lead new N. Korea sanctions watchdog, replacing UN panel
Seoul sees 1st MSMT meeting in Washington under Trump as pivotal after launch under Biden South Korea will take the lead this year in operating a new multilateral sanctions monitoring body and publishing its reports, filling the gaps in sanctions enforcement and monitoring on North Korea left by the dissolution of the UN Panel of Experts following Russia's veto. The outcome came after the inaugural meeting of the steering committee of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team or MSMT in Washington on Wednesday, local time, in the presence of 11 member countries, inclduing South Korea, the United States and Japan. The other countries that attended the working-level meeting were Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The meeting wrapped up with issuing a joint statement on Friday, reaffirming the MSMT's goals and the participating countries' commitment to enforcing UN Security Council resolutions. 'The MSMT's purpose is to assist the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by publishing reports and information based on rigorous inquiry into relevant sanctions violations and evasion attempts as well as successful enforcement efforts,' the joint statement read, referring to North Korea by its official name. 'The MSMT Steering Committee underscores our shared determination to fully implement relevant UNSCRs regarding the DPRK,' the statement added. South Korea initially proposed as well as spearheaded the MSMT's launch in October last year, with its launch ceremony taking place in Seoul. South Korea will take the lead in the MSMT's operations this year and in a report on North Korea's sanctions violations and implementation monitoring, the first of which will be published by spring, The Korea Herald learned from diplomatic sources familiar with the matter. The report will be jointly prepared by 11 member countries, however. The report will zoom in on North Korea's breach of UN sanctions, which have particular security implications and timeless. These include Russian-North Korean military collaboration and illicit cyber activities to funnel funds into its nuclear and missile programs, The Korea Herald also learned from the sources. Why first meeting matters The South Korean government deemed the first meeting in Washington to be of paramount significance, The Korea Herald learned from dialogue with officials. Seoul considered the meeting a manifestation of the second Trump administration and the international community's determination to continue enforcing and enhancing sanctions, as well as an opportunity to reaffirm the validity of the MSMT as a sanctions monitoring mechanism, despite the change in US leadership, following its launch last October under the Biden administration. When asked about its functions, a Foreign Ministry official, who wished to remain anonymous, explained on Thursday that "matters such as which country will take the lead in writing the report, how and when information will be collected, when the report will be published and what topics it will cover are all discussed and decided by the steering committee." The official declined to divulge further information on agenda topics for the first meeting. Most decisions are kept confidential among the member states due to the sensitive nature of the discussions. When asked how frequently the reports are published, the unidentified official pointed to the publication cycle of the UN Panel of Experts or PoE report first, which was issued biannually—in the first and second half — as a reference point. "Nevertheless, rather than being bound rigidly to that schedule, we believe we have more discretion because we are not constrained by the dynamics of the of the UN Security Council. Seizing on this advantage, we look forward to having greater flexibility in determining the frequency of issuing the reports," the official said. Fewer than ten other countries have expressed their intent to join the MSMT as members, The Korea Herald learned from dialogue with one of the diplomatic sources. In the joint statement, 11 countries unanimously urged nations that have not fully enforced sanctions to do so on North Korea, without explicitly naming them. 'We reaffirm that the path to dialogue remains open, and call on all states to join global efforts to maintain international peace and security in the face of ongoing threats from the DPRK and those that facilitate its UNSCR violations," the statement read. The MSMT was established around seven months after Russia, using its veto as a permanent member of the UN Security Council in late March last year, blocked the renewal of the 1718 Committee Panel of Experts' mandate. Since 2009, the PoE has been tasked with overseeing the enforcement of UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea and issuing biannual reports on sanctions violations.
Khaleej Times
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
US, S Korea, Japan reaffirm pledge to seek N Korea's denuclearisation
The United States, Japan and South Korea renewed their "resolute" pledge to seek the "complete denuclearisation" of North Korea, according to a joint statement from the three allies released on Saturday. The statement came after new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held his first meetings with South Korean Foreign Minister Choe Tae-yul and Japan's top diplomat Takeshi Iwaya on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. "The Secretary and Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs)," it said. "They expressed their serious concerns over and the need to address together the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs, malicious cyber activities including cryptocurrency thefts, and increasing military cooperation with Russia," it added. The three sent a "strong warning" that they "will not tolerate any provocations or threats to their homelands" and vowed to maintain and strengthen international sanctions against Pyongyang. They also said they were committed to "the immediate resolution of the issues of abductees, detainees, and unrepatriated prisoners of war as well as the issue of separated families". Largely cut off from the world diplomatically and economically, and under a bevy of sanctions, North Korea with its ongoing nuclear weapons programme has been a major thorn in the side of the United States for years. President Donald Trump, who had a rare series of meetings with Kim Jong Un during his first term in office, has said he will reach out again to the North Korean leader, calling Kim a "smart guy". Despite Trump's diplomatic overtures, North Korea said in January that its nuclear programme would continue "indefinitely". Pyongygang also said earlier this month it would not tolerate any "provocation" by the United States after Rubio called it a "rogue state" in a radio interview. It has also slammed a visit by a US nuclear submarine to a naval base in South Korea this month as a "hostile military act". A summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi collapsed in 2019 over talks on sanctions relief and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in return.
Khaleej Times
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Clone of US, S Korea, Japan reaffirm pledge to seek N Korea's denuclearisation
The United States, Japan and South Korea renewed their "resolute" pledge to seek the "complete denuclearisation" of North Korea, according to a joint statement from the three allies released on Saturday. The statement came after new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held his first meetings with South Korean Foreign Minister Choe Tae-yul and Japan's top diplomat Takeshi Iwaya on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. "The Secretary and Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs)," it said. "They expressed their serious concerns over and the need to address together the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs, malicious cyber activities including cryptocurrency thefts, and increasing military cooperation with Russia," it added. The three sent a "strong warning" that they "will not tolerate any provocations or threats to their homelands" and vowed to maintain and strengthen international sanctions against Pyongyang. They also said they were committed to "the immediate resolution of the issues of abductees, detainees, and unrepatriated prisoners of war as well as the issue of separated families". Largely cut off from the world diplomatically and economically, and under a bevy of sanctions, North Korea with its ongoing nuclear weapons programme has been a major thorn in the side of the United States for years. President Donald Trump, who had a rare series of meetings with Kim Jong Un during his first term in office, has said he will reach out again to the North Korean leader, calling Kim a "smart guy". Despite Trump's diplomatic overtures, North Korea said in January that its nuclear programme would continue "indefinitely". Pyongygang also said earlier this month it would not tolerate any "provocation" by the United States after Rubio called it a "rogue state" in a radio interview. It has also slammed a visit by a US nuclear submarine to a naval base in South Korea this month as a "hostile military act". A summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi collapsed in 2019 over talks on sanctions relief and what Pyongyang would be willing to give up in return.
Korea Herald
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Trump 2.0 codifies ‘complete denuclearization' of N. Korea amid fears of US policy shift
'Complete denuclearization of North Korea' has been used in official statements, replacing peninsula-wide term The Trump administration has laid out a commitment to North Korea's 'complete denuclearization' and to the preservation of sanctions and pressure to that end in a joint statement with South Korea and Japan, assuaging Seoul's mounting concerns over Washington's potential shift in North Korea policy. The joint statement came after the first meeting among South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Saturday, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The meeting was followed by the first-ever bilateral meeting between Cho and Rubio earlier in the day. 'The Secretary and Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs),' the English-language joint statement read, referring to North Korea by its official name. 'They also committed to maintain and strengthen the international sanctions regime against the DPRK by responding firmly to violations and evasions of the relevant UNSCRs and applying pressure on Pyongyang to halt illicit activities that fund its nuclear and missile programs.' Seoul's fears have also been intensified by US President Donald Trump's reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un -- whom he met three times for summits from 2018 to 2019 — on his Jan. 20 inauguration day, and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's labeling of North Korea as a "nuclear power" during his January confirmation hearing. The phrase "nuclear power" differs from the meaning of "nuclear-weapon state" in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT, used for the five internationally recognized nuclear-weapon states: the US, the UK, France, China and Russia. But Trump and Hegseth's invocation of the unofficially used term "nuclear power," whose implications can be arbitrarily interpreted, has resulted in a frenzy of controversy in Seoul regarding the true intent behind the use of the term by the second Trump administration, perturbing Seoul. Why it matters Seoul's Foreign Ministry emphasized the significance of the stated goal of pursuing North Korea's 'complete denuclearization' in the joint statement endorsed by the new Trump administration. 'It's been all talk and no action, but this document creates a basis that no one can deny,' a Foreign Ministry official told reporters on Saturday in Munich on condition of anonymity. Another government official, also speaking anonymously, said of the trilateral joint statement, 'A document has now set out the (Trump administration's) basic principles for addressing North Korea issues,' adding that 'the Trump administration's policy direction has been clearly outlined' in the statement. The expression 'complete denuclearization' of North Korea, which also appeared in the US-Japan joint leaders' statement, marks a distinction from the Biden administration's phrasing of 'complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.' The latter expression was controversial, as it could be interpreted as aligning with North Korea's long-established claim that a nuclear-free peninsula should include preconditions such as a halt to the deployment of US strategic nuclear assets from the region. This is not the only time the Trump administration has expressed a commitment to the 'complete denuclearization' of North Korea. A separate statement issued by the State Department on Saturday on the outcome of the South Korea-US foreign ministerial meeting also reaffirmed the principle. However, it differed from the press statement released by Seoul's Foreign Ministry. Washington additionally reiterated its willingness to engage with the Kim Jong-un regime and included China as a discussion topic -- points that Seoul did not mention in its statement. 'Secretary Rubio reaffirmed America's commitment to the complete denuclearization of the DPRK while expressing the Trump administration's openness to dialogue,' US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said of the Rubio-Cho meeting. 'The two shared concerns over China's aggression in the South China Sea and discussed how to deter DPRK aggression.' The trilateral joint statement also included an unprecedented message targeting China, in addition to oft-repeated China-related rhetoric, notably stating, 'They also expressed support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.' This was the first time such a phrase has appeared in a trilateral joint statement at any level. The first unnamed Foreign Ministry official further explained that the clause 'refers to possible participation in international organizations that do not recognize statehood.' For instance, Taiwan has previously participated in a WHO annual session as an observer, but has not done so since 2017, and was briefly invited to an International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly in 2013 but later did not attend. The official also disclosed that South Korea requested the addition of the word 'appropriate' to the trilateral statement, distinguishing it from the US-Japan leaders' statement. The clause largely echoed the joint statement issued following talks between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, which stated, 'The two leaders also expressed support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations.' However, the Foreign Ministry official clarified that South Korea still respects the "One China policy," emphasizing that 'our basic stance on Taiwan has remained unchanged.'
