North Korea continues to pursue nuclear weapons and their means of delivery, in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and North Korea’s own past commitments.
While the United States continues efforts to engage North Korea diplomatically over its nuclear and missile programs the United States is also committed to exposing North Korea’s global proliferation network.
The United States will continue enforcement of U.S. and UN sanctions in response to North Korea’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons. These sanctions allow the United States and the international community to maintain pressure on the North Korean regime to denuclearize.
In one example of recent sanctions enforcement actions, the State Department designated North Korea’s Strategic Force, which has conducted multiple illicit ballistic missile launches. At the same time the Treasury Department designated six regime financiers and three entities with ties to North Korea’s weapons proliferation and illicit finance efforts.
Together, these actions aim to further impede North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, counter attempts to circumvent U.S. and UN sanctions, prevent the North Korean government from accessing the U.S. financial system, and maintain the effectiveness of sanctions.
In addition to violating the United Nations Security Council resolutions passed since 2006, North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs destabilize the region and its proliferation activities undermine the global nonproliferation regime.
The international community is united in demanding North Korea abandon its illicit weapons programs and abide by its obligations and commitments. The United States, South Korea, Japan, China, and Russia have all underscored the imperative of denuclearization and the international community has continually attempted to negotiate with North Korea.
The United States remains prepared to engage with North Korea if it changes course. However, North Korea must demonstrate a commitment to credible negotiations by taking meaningful steps to fulfill its denuclearization and other commitments and to respect international law.
As long as North Korea rejects credible negotiations and continues to violate its commitments and obligations, sanctions pressure will continue to be applied. North Korea cannot achieve the prosperity and international cooperation it claims to seek until it abides by its international obligations and commitments.
