What are possible steps tp ease North Korean sanctions

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, shakes hands with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, as South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, back right, looks on during the opening of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Singapore, Saturday. Ri accused the U.S. of dragging its feet in building mutual trust for Pyongyang’s denuclearization in return for economic development assistance. / Yonhap

The United States, although it insists on maintaining nuclear sanctions on North Korea, is apparently willing to engage with the Kim Jong-un regime.

This raises speculation on how Washington will lift sanctions if Pyongyang takes denuclearization measures in accordance with U.S. demands.

Several analysts speculate Washington may take three steps _ lifting sanctions that may concern humanitarian issues and later moving on to livelihood and trade as well as investment.

Experts suggest South Korea should consider scrapping its own economic sanctions imposed on May 24, 2010, if the U.S. moves toward easing sanctions on the North.

The so-called May 24 measures were imposed in retaliation to the North’s deadly torpedo attack on a South Korean naval frigate in March of the same year.

“The U.S. still insists on maintaining sanctions but the possibility always remains that they can be lifted, as Pyongyang, although not satisfied by Washington, is taking steps for nuclear disarmament,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

The professor referred to North Korea blowing up its main nuclear test site in Punggye-ri in May and leader Kim Jong-un’s promise to dismantle a missile engine test site during his June 12 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

“Of course, there has been a U.S. intelligence assessment that North Korea is still continuing production of an intercontinental ballistic missile. But even if this is the case, Washington should keep in mind that it has not offered anything to incentivize Pyongyang’s nuclear disarmament and I believe the case can be settled amicably.” Yang said.

The professor suggested the U.S. consider lifting sanctions related to humanitarian aid, such as providing rice.

He partly attributed the lack of funding to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) to boost food distribution to hungry women and children in the North to the U.S. sanctions.

WFP data in May showed its $52 million appeal for 2018 is only 19.2 percent funded.

“Allies are walking on eggshells and trying not irk the U.S. in providing food aid for North Korea,” Yang said.

An Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies, suggested easing sanctions that can affect the livelihoods of North Koreans and eventually lifting economic sanctions would be the path to take.

“This will be an optimal scenario to convince North Korea to achieve denuclearization, which it will pursue in return for regime survival and economic development,” he said.

Yang suggested South Korea consult with the U.S. as to whether to scrap the May 24 measures if certain conditions are met.

North Korea has been accusing the U.S. of dragging its feet in building mutual trust on the path to denuclearization.

“The U.S., instead of responding to these measures, is insisting on maintaining the sanctions against the DPRK and showing the attitude to retreat even from declaring the end of the war, a very basic and primary step for providing peace on the Korean Peninsula,” North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said during the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Singapore that ended Sunday. The DPRK is an abbreviation of the North’s official name the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The ARF, a multinational security forum, is the sole regional multinational mechanism in which North Korea participates.

The foreign minister argued Washington was putting pressure on countries to refrain from dispatching delegates to the North’s 70th founding anniversary event in September.

However, he stopped short of criticizing Trump directly, hinting at Pyongyang’s intention to capitalize on the momentum for reconciliation since the Kim-Trump summit.

Pyongyang has repatriated the remains of 55 American service members killed during the Korean War in line with an agreement reached during the summit.

Trump openly hailed the move, tweeting he received a “nice letter” from Kim and is looking forward to meeting with him again soon.

But the two countries are still at odds over other summit agreements, such as efforts to “build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.”

The U.S. has asked the North to take “concrete” denuclearization steps such as presenting a timetable or an inventory of its nuclear arsenal.

At the ARF, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the international community to maintain sanctions on Pyongyang until its “final, fully verified denuclearization.”

U.S. officials are also upset by reports that some countries are expanding economic ties with the North in violations of U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions. The reclusive nation is said to be building new missiles and continuing to produce nuclear material as well.

South Korea is among the countries suspected of allowing ships containing North Korean coal to enter its ports. Coal is among the banned items under the UNSC sanctions.

On Aug. 5, Yoo Ki-june of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party claimed at least eight vessels were believed to have carried North Korean coal to ports here.

Yoo argued the dovish government of President Moon Jae-in has not taken due steps in line with UNSC sanctions regarding the suspicious vessels.

The argument came amid speculation the Moon government has been pushing for inter-Korean rapprochement while not thoroughly monitoring foreign vessels that enter South Korea with North Korean coal disguised as Russian products.

The Moon administration has denied the claim and said it has been implementing the global sanctions faithfully.

Adopted in December 2017, UNSC Resolution 2397 allows a country to seize and search a vessel suspected of engaging in prohibited activities with North Korea. Resolution 2371, passed in August 2017, imposes a blanket ban on the overseas sale of North Korean coal.

Meanwhile, South Korea called on North Korea to further accelerate its denuclearization process while asking the U.S. to implement its promises of rewarding the Kim regime.

“We are asking North Korea to speed up its denuclearization process And to the U.S., we are asking that it show sincere efforts on the corresponding measures that North Korea is demanding,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said, when asked what the Moon government thought about a possible impasse in the denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

Source:koreatimes.co.kr