North Korea recently called for a halt to the brutal sanctions against the country stating they constituted "genocide." Several rounds of sanctions have been imposed on Pyongyang after the regime failed to stop its nuclearization program despite the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) countless warnings to do so.
"Today the U.S.-led racket of brutal sanctions and pressure against the DPRK constitutes contemporary human rights violation and genocide," the North Korean mission to the United Nations in Geneva said in a statement according to the New York Times. The sanctions regime "threatens and impedes the enjoyment by the people of DPRK of their human rights in all sectors," it said.
The call to end the sanctions comes as U.S. President Donald Trump starts his 13-day trip to Asia where he will hold talks with China, South Korea and Japan. Focusing on both the economy and the Korean threat, President Trump will definitely call on his partners to impose more pressure on Pyongyang and its nuclear program.
Even NATO has issued a statement on the North Korean nuclear weapon program's threat. Pyongyang has some serious nerve calling the UN sanctions a "genocide" considering the number of human rights violations that occur on a daily basis throughout the country. More than 16 waves of sanctions have been adopted by the United Nations Security Council since 2006 under resolution 1718.
If Kim Jong-un is so concerned for his country, maybe he should shift all the money invested in developing nuclear weapons to his people's welfare.
Adding to that, Pyongyang's hydrogen bomb test conducted on Sept. 3 pushed the country further into isolation when China did not veto the latest rounds of sanctions.
China has said it will strictly enforce UN Security Council sanctions banning imports of North Korean coal, textiles and seafood, while cutting off oil shipments to the North.
The North Korean mission to the United Nations in Geneva issued a statement saying the sanctions imposed have "blocked the delivery of medical equipment and medicines" destined to children and mothers in the country.
"All types of anti-human rights and inhumane sanctions against the DPRK should be terminated immediately and thoroughly," the statement said.
What amazes me is that despite having issues receiving vital medical equipment for its population, Kim Jong-un has been threatening the United Nations with a possible nuclear war instead of calling for a stop to his country's nuclearization, which would allow the international community to come to its aid.
North Korea is even planning an atmospheric hydrogen bomb test instead of focusing on its population's welfare. By doing so, Pyongyang and its regime are trying to gain the international community's pity while working behind their back to build nuclear weapons capable of killing millions.
Until North Korea stop its nuclear weapon development program and commit human rights abuses such as sending people into forced labour, I do not believe the international community will cease or at least ease the sanctions unilaterally approved by the UNSC.
In the meantime, Pyongyang will continue to be a threat to the international community by continuing nuclear weapons tests and challenging both South Korea and Japan.
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