generalspeaking: The Diplomatic Battlefield

Saturday, January 15, 2022

The Diplomatic Battlefield

"What we have seen in recent days ... only underscores our belief that if we are going to make progress, that we will need to engage in that dialogue [to attempt once again to conduct a nation-to-nation conversation with North Korea]."
Ned Price, spokesman, U.S.State Department

"[North Korea's latest launches were] further evidence that it continues to advance prohibited programs despite the international community's calls for diplomacy and de-nuclearization."
"[The State Department designated sanctions on North Korean individuals and Russian entities for] activities or transactions that have materially contributed to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery."
U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson

Kim Jong-un speaks to officials at the Defence Development Exhibition, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this undated photo released on October 12, 2021 Photo by KCNA via Reuters

"Pyongyang's goading seems to have struck a chord among some officials in Seoul. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in his pull-aside talks October 5 with Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the need for an end-of-war declaration as a “confidence-building measure” to engage the Kim regime. Chung on a separate occasion said that the time is ripe to consider easing sanctions on North Korea for the sake of engagement—despite the regime's ongoing nuclear development and missile testing. In a similar vein, Seoul's Unification Minister Lee In-young vowed to push for inter-Korean talks before the end of this year."
Soo Kim, policy analyst, RAND Corporation, adjunct instructor, American University. October 14, 2021

North Korea accuses Biden of 'provocation' and warns of 'consequences' | The Japan Times

Japan Times North Korea accuses Biden of 'provocation' and warns of 'consequences'

Sanctions were imposed on Wednesday by the United States on six North Koreans, a Russian and a Russian company said to be responsible for obtaining materiel from Russia and China to enable it to build its weapons programs. The sanctions come on the heels of a series of missile launches by North Korea; two alone in the past week.

The sanctions, according to the U.S. Treasury, are meant to prevent further advancement of North Korea's weapons programs, and to impede its efforts in proliferating weapons technologies. These sanctions represent the first imposed by the Biden administration to target North Korea's weapons programs. The administration has been unsuccessful in seeking engagement with Pyongyang meant to sway it away from producing nuclear bombs and missiles.

The administration remains firm in its intention to engage in diplomacy with the hermit kingdom. Six ballistic missiles were launched by North Korea's military since September, egregious violations of UN Security Council resolutions. Despite which, two key members of the UN Security Council, Russia and China, act in concert to protect China's protegee from UN-sponsored sanctions.

Choe Myong Hyon was singled out for sanctions for having worked to procure telecommunications-related equipment from Russia. She is based in Vladivostok as a representative of North Korea's Second Academy of Natural Sciences. Four North Korean representatives based in China of SANS-subordinate organizations were also hit by sanctions.

As has Sim Kwang Sok been, based in Dalian, working to procure steel alloys, as well as Kim Song Hun, based in Shenyang, accessing software and chemicals. As loyal North Koreans, based in friendly nations from whom materials critical to Pyongyang's plans for future technological development in nuclear and missile updates they pay the penalty for enablement when the true enablers go unpunished, seated on their UN thrones.