North Korean minister says new US-led sanctions monitoring team is unlawful

SEOUL - North Korea's foreign minister said a new multi-lateral sanctions monitoring team led by the United States was "utterly unlawful and illegitimate", state media reported on Oct 20.

The United States, South Korea and Japan on Oct 16 announced the launch of a new multi-national team to monitor the enforcement of sanctions against North Korea after Russia and China thwarted monitoring activities at the United Nations.

The team was introduced after Russia in March rejected the annual renewal of a United Nations panel of experts that had, over the past 15 years, overseen the implementation of sanctions aimed at curbing North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. China, North Korea's chief ally and economic lifeline, abstained from the vote.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have intensified in recent years with North Korea stepping up its development of a series of ballistic missiles and a nuclear arsenal, drawing international sanctions, and forming close military relations with Russia. Washington has been strengthening its security co-operation with key regional allies South Korea and Japan.

"The forces involved in the smear campaign against the DPRK will have to pay a dear price for it," Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said via the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), using the country's official name.

Choe criticised the team, which would be joined by eight other countries, as Washington's misconduct of flouting the international order and as "the most undisguised violation" of North Korea's sovereignty.

Washington and Seoul have warned of North Korea's close military ties with Moscow. South Korea's spy agency said on Oct 18 that North Korea has shipped 1,500 special forces troops to Russia's Far East for training and acclimatising at local military bases and will likely be deployed for combat in the war in Ukraine.

Russia and North Korea both deny they have engaged in arms transfers. The Kremlin has also dismissed South Korean assertions that North Korea may have sent some military personnel to help Russia against Ukraine.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said he could not confirm reports that North Korea has sent troops to Russia ahead of what could be a deployment to Ukraine, but added such a move would be concerning, if true.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was willing to lead friendship and co-operation with North Korea to "sustainable and stable development" and contribute to "safeguarding regional and global peace", North Korean state media reported on Oct 20.

Xi sent a reply to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who had congratulated China on its founding anniversary, according to KCNA.

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