China And Russia Delay US Efforts To Impose Sanctions On Five North Korean Individuals Over Missile Tests

Illustration of North Korea's hypersonic missile test launch. (Source: KCNA)

JAKARTA - China and Russia postponed US efforts to impose UN sanctions on five North Koreans on Thursday, diplomats said, as Pyongyang plans to resume nuclear weapons and long-range missile tests.

The move by China and Russia comes ahead of a closed-door UN Security Council meeting on North Korea on Thursday, the second in two weeks, after Pyongyang fired a tactical missile on Monday.

"This launch demonstrates the regime's determination to pursue its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs at all costs, including at the expense of its own people," the seven-member council, United States, Albania, Brazil, France, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Japan, said. in a joint statement at the United Nations, citing Reuters January 21.

Monday's test was North Korea's fourth in 2022, with the previous two launches involving high-speed, maneuverable "hypersonic missiles" after liftoff. Another test used a pair of short-range missiles fired from a train carriage.

The United States last week imposed unilateral sanctions over the missile launch. It blacklisted six North Koreans, one Russian and one Russian company, accusing them of buying goods for the program from Russia and China.

It then proposed that five of the people also be subject to a travel ban and a UN asset freeze. The request must be approved by consensus by North Korea's 15-member sanctions committee.

China and Russia 'successfully thwarted' the US proposal on Thursday, placing it in limbo. China told Security Council counterparts it needed more time to study the sanctions proposal. While Russia said more evidence was needed to support the US request, diplomats said.

Earlier, North Korea said Thursday it would step up its defenses against the United States and consider resuming "all temporarily suspended activities", an apparent reference to its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear weapons and long-range missile tests.

"Facts have proven time and again, using sanctions and pressure blindly will only increase tensions further than solving the Peninsula issue. This does not serve the interests of either side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said when asked about Pyongyang's announcement.

Since 2006, North Korea has been subject to UN sanctions, which the Security Council has strengthened over the years in an effort to target funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"It is imperative that member states take the necessary steps to enforce sanctions in their jurisdictions, or risk giving the DPRK regime a blank check to advance its weapons programs," said a statement from the group including the United States, using an abbreviation for North Korea.

Meanwhile, to date, the administration of US President Joe Biden has not succeeded in engaging Pyongyang in dialogue to persuade it to give up its nuclear and missile weapons since Biden took office in January 2021.

To note, North Korea continued to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in the first half of 2021 in violation of UN sanctions and despite the country's deteriorating economic situation, the UN sanctions monitor reported in August.