The Russian president’s visit to North Korea (or DPRK) was characterized by reiterating his country’s commitment to fight US-lead sanctions leveled on his host nation (here). It has become clear that UN sanctions on Pyongyang are driven by Washington’s narrow-minded goals, and Russia is responding appropriately. Russia’s veto of the extension of the mandate of the UN Panel of Experts to monitor compliance and sanctions violations in the DPRK in March 2024 reintroduces balance and prevents Washington’s abuse of the UN…

The aforementioned veto will collapse the UN sanction regime and boost DPRK’s development, diminishing Washington’s façade of being the only guarantor of development, which was also shattered by the end of 20 years of U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) (here) that leaves Iraq worse off than DPRK.

In the News… Sanctions against Pyongyang Flawed

On 19th June 2024, Russian president left DPRK and headed to Vietnam for a state visit of Russia’s historical allies. President Vladimir Putin spoke extensively on UN sanctions on DPRK, and the author reminds readers that the Asian country faces rabid restrictions on importing petroleum, luxury items, textiles, and exporting labor (essentially curtailing North Korean’s freedom of moving abroad). It is incomprehensible how such medieval sanctions could be made by the US or UN, both of which purport to advance and protect people’s freedoms. Returning to Putin’s trip, North Korea and Vietnam had close relations with the Soviet Union, which aided them to stand against US-Imposed wars from 1950s to mid-1970s. Also, both developed government systems with some aspects from the Soviet Union, but also responding to their unique realities. Consequently, they have faced immense pressure primarily because their economic models restrict western corporations from exploiting their citizenry for profit, and such may........

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