On a recent trip to the Republic of Korea, Robert Einhorn, U.S. Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control, discussed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's July 21 announcement of new U.S. country specific measures against North Korea and plans to strengthen current U.S. sanctions against North Korea. "These measures," Mr. Einhorn said, "are not directed at the North Korean people, instead our objective is to put an end to the [North Korean government's] destabilizing proliferation activities, to halt illicit activities that help fund its nuclear and missile programs, and to discourage further provocative actions."
The United States will soon announce and begin implementing new measures to target entities and individuals involved in arms trading, the procurement of luxury goods, and other illicit activities that provide funds for North Korea. This hard currency can be used to support North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and fund luxury goods purchases in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874.
The United States is concerned, said Mr. Einhorn, that North Korea continues to operate a network of trading firms around the world to help facilitate its proliferation-related and other illicit activities.
By publicly naming these entities, these measures have the broader effect of isolating them from the international and commercial system.
United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 prohibit all countries from purchasing arms, missile technology, and other sensitive items from North Korea. The United States, said Mr. Einhorn, "will urge customers and potential customers to desist from these purchases, and we will actively use Security Council Resolution 1874's provisions for inspecting illicit shipborne and airborne cargoes to deny North Korea hard currency earnings from these illegal activities."
The ultimate goal of sanctions, said Mr. Einhorn, is to increase pressure on the government of North Korea to the point where it recognizes that it is in the country's own best interest to abide by their international obligations, not to pursue provocative activities, and fulfill their commitments to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.