MOSCOW: Russia has blocked the UN panel’s renewal to continue overseeing sanctions on North Korea weeks after the panel declared it was looking into allegations of armaments transfers between Moscow and Pyongyang.
South Korea’s foreign ministry on Thursday condemned Russia’s move as “irresponsible,” despite its UN Security Council status. China abstained from the veto, while all other members favored renewing the expert panel.
The United States denounced Moscow’s action as self-serving, aiming to suppress the panel’s findings of collusion with North Korea.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister called the veto “a guilty plea” amid allegations of North Korean support in Moscow’s conflict with Kiev.
Though Russia’s veto doesn’t lift sanctions on North Korea, it dissolves the monitoring group overseeing their enforcement and alleged violations.
Russia argued that the panel’s focus was disproportionate to the region’s challenges, advocating for an annual review of sanctions to modify them as needed.
Moscow’s foreign ministry criticized UN sanctions for hindering dialogue and peace efforts, claiming they haven’t improved regional security.
North Korea’s ongoing weapons development, including a recent test of a new hypersonic missile, has raised concerns, with reports suggesting arms transfers to Russia for potential use in Ukraine.
The sanctions panel’s latest report highlighted North Korea’s continuous violation of sanctions, including ballistic missile launches and exceeding oil import limits. It’s also investigating alleged arms shipments from North Korea to Russia for Ukraine’s conflict.
