Top U.S. envoy to UN assures of a new sanctions monitoring mechanism against North

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Embassy compound in Seoul on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Wednesday that the United States will continue to pursue a new sanctions enforcement monitoring system against North Korea, even without the Security Council panel on experts.

Last month, Russia vetoed a resolution on extending the mandate of the panel of experts overseeing the implementation of sanctions against North Korea while China abstained from voting. The panel is set to expire on April 30, leaving a void in the international sanctions regime on Pyongyang.

“I look forward to engaging with both the Republic of Korea and Japan, but like-minded countries as well, on trying to develop options both inside the UN as well as outside the UN,” said Thomas-Greenfield during a press conference held at the United States Embassy compound in Seoul on Wednesday. “The point here is that we cannot allow the work that the panel of experts were doing to lapse. That regime stays in place, and I think we will eventually find a mechanism to continue to do that reporting.”

The top U.S. envoy said that Russia and China will likely continue trying to block efforts to monitor sanctions.

“I don’t expect that they will cooperate or agree with any efforts that we make to find another path, but that is not going to stop us from finding that path moving forward,” said Thomas-Greenfield.

Russia’s veto on expanding the mandate on the panel of experts came amid growing military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, following a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny spaceport in September last year.

While at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas, Thomas-Greenfield stated on Tuesday that the United States was looking at “out of the box” options with South Korea and other countries to continue monitoring sanctions against North Korea, saying that “all possibilities” were on the table for consideration.

“We're working closely with South Korea, with Japan, with other like-minded council members to look at some creative ways, some out of the box thinking, on how we might move forward on continuing the important work that the panel of experts was able to do,” Thomas-Greenfield said Tuesday at the DMZ. “Whether that’s the UN General Assembly, or entities outside of the UN, I think we have to consider all possibilities."

Thomas-Greenfield also clarified the United States’ position on North Korea and called for dialogue between the two countries.

“Let me be clear that the United States harbors no hostile intent toward the DPRK,” she continued, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “We have repeatedly asked Pyongyang to reject provocation and embrace dialogue. We have held the doors open for meaningful diplomacy and we remain open to dialogue.”

After the visit to the DMZ on Tuesday, Thomas-Greenfield met with North Korean defectors to talk about human rights violations and Ewha Womans University students to discuss sustainable development goals. She met with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Defense Minister Shin Won-sik on Monday.

Thomas-Greenfield’s trip marks the first time in eight years that a U.S. ambassador to the UN visited Korea. The top envoy departs for Japan on Wednesday.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]