The United States and South Korea have imposed sanctions on two IT companies based in China that have allegedly helped North Korea in generating revenue for its “unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs.” The sanctions are part of a joint action taken by the two countries and target several groups involved in illicit cyber operations and revenue activities. The recent sanctions have also revealed a network of several thousand North Korean workers based in China and Russia, tasked with generating revenue for sanctioned North Korea. The identities and locations of such workers remain hidden, and they use fake documentation to apply for jobs in various spheres such as entertainment, sports, and business. The hired IT staff from North Korea has reportedly put companies at risk of intellectual property theft.
The US has been following a sanctions-driven policy towards North Korea, which has resulted in the country’s humanitarian crisis, according to Jessica J. Lee in The Diplomat. More than 40% of North Koreans are undernourished, and one in three households lack clean water, with deaths by starvation on the rise. Sanctions have also created impediments in delivering Covid-related aid, and such measures could impact the transportation, storage and administration of vaccines. Jessica calls on Congress and the executive branch to reconsider its approach since such sanctions have become a political tool instead of an element of a comprehensive strategy. Last year, US senators Ed Markey and Carl Levin proposed legislation to create a humanitarian exception to existing sanctions with the aim of allowing essential aid into North Korea.
China and Russia have recently called for the easing of sanctions on North Korea, after the US administration insisted that the current sanctions should stay in place until the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Beijing and Moscow consider full denuclearization of North Korea unrealistic, and they want to avoid any military confrontation or regime collapse in Pyongyang. While the two countries hold different views on many aspects of global security, they agree on the importance of counterbalancing US unilateralism. China and North Korea share an interest in developing economic reforms, similar to those successfully implemented in China, while Russia has longstanding ties and economic interests in the Korean peninsula and wants to avoid the nuclear risk to its Far East.
In the latest development, the US Treasury has imposed sanctions on two Russian nationals and three Russian firms, claiming that they are involved in North Korea’s procurement of components for its missile systems. The sanctions were implemented amid concerns over the possibility of Pyongyang’s testing of long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons, which is expected to happen for the first time since 2017. The recent missile launches represent a “blatant violation of international law,” and US officials have criticized North Korea’s actions, with one declaring that it represents a “serious escalation.”
The sanctions and their impact on North Korea’s relations with the US, China, and Russia, respectively, are complex and multi-layered. Amidst the rising humanitarian crisis due to the sanctions, it is pertinent to revisit the approach that the US is taking towards North Korea and its impact on the country’s civilian population. The sanctions can prove to be counterproductive, impeding the delivery of essential aid and creating further difficulties for the North Korean population. A thorough and comprehensive approach based on diplomatic dialogue and a humanitarian exception to existing sanctions is critical to improving relations while still maintaining global security.
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