ALWAGHT- North Korea's Foreign Minister criticized a newly formed US-led multilateral sanctions monitoring team as "completely unlawful and illegitimate," according to a Sunday report by Korean media.
On Wednesday, the US, South Korea, and Japan introduced a new multinational team after Russia vetoed the renewal of a UN panel that had monitored sanctions on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs for 15 years. China, North Korea's key ally, abstained from the vote.
North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui called the move "completely unlawful" and "the most undisguised violation" of North Korea's sovereignty. She warned that those involved in the "smear campaign" against North Korea would face consequences.
The US has strengthened military cooperation with South Korea and Japan, increasing its presence and conducting joint exercises in the region, which Pyongyang views as provocations aimed at intimidation and containment. North Korea perceives these actions as rehearsals for potential strikes and evidence of Washington's aggressive stance.
North Korea sees its nuclear program as essential for deterrence and survival in a hostile environment. In recent years, it has accelerated its missile and nuclear development while deepening ties with Russia, sharing a mutual opposition to US influence. Both countries have aligned against US-sponsored resolutions at the UN and cooperated on military exercises.
Russia’s economic and infrastructural support helps North Korea navigate sanctions, while Pyongyang serves as a strategic ally in the Asia-Pacific, bolstering Moscow’s efforts to counter US alliances. China, North Korea’s biggest trading partner and aid provider, maintains ties to preserve regional stability, wary of the potential fallout from a North Korean collapse.
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently expressed a commitment to strengthening cooperation with North Korea, focusing on regional stability and peace, as reported by North Korean state media.
