A new international body operating outside the UN framework aims to monitor North Korea's compliance with sanctions, taking over from a UN panel of experts seven months after Russia blocked the renewal of the panel's mandate.

The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team includes the US, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy.

A statement by the South Korean Foreign Ministry said the group is open to other states joining, including nations from the Global South.

"The goal of the new mechanism is to assist the full implementation of UN sanctions on [North Korea] by publishing information based on a rigorous inquiry into sanctions violations and evasion attempts," the statement added.

Analysts warn this task is likely to become increasingly difficult due to the burgeoning strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea. The two countries share a land border with road and rail links and are determined to forge closer military and economic ties.

Even before Russia's Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang and met Kim Jong Un in June, Russia used its veto powers in the UN Security Council to dismantle the previous monitoring mechanism. According to the US, this happened after the UN panel detailed Russia's procurement of military equipment and........

© Deutsche Welle