South Korea, Japan say listing North Korea as terror sponsor will pressure Pyongyang to denuclearise

[webfact]

South Korea, Japan say listing North Korea as terror sponsor will pressure Pyongyang to denuclearise

By Christine Kim

 

FILE PHOTO - A soldier salutes from atop an armoured vehicle as it drives past the stand with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of country's founding father Kim Il Sung, in Pyongyang April 15, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea and Japan on Tuesday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump putting North Korea back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism, saying it would ramp up pressure on Pyongyang to denuclearise the Korean peninsula.

 

The designation, announced on Monday, allows the United States to impose more sanctions on Pyongyang, which is pursuing nuclear weapons and missile programmes in defiance of U.N. Security Council sanctions.

 

"I welcome and support (the designation) as it raises the pressure on North Korea," Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters on Tuesday, according to Kyodo news agency.

 

South Korea said it expected the listing to contribute to the peaceful denuclearisation of the North, adding it continued, along with the United States, to seek to bring North Korea to the negotiating table, the country's foreign ministry said in a text message.

 

Trump's re-listing of North Korea as a sponsor of terrorism comes a week after he returned from a 12-day trip to Asia in which containing North Korea's nuclear ambitions was a centrepiece of his discussions.

 

"In addition to threatening the world by nuclear devastation, North Korea has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism, including assassinations on foreign soil," Trump told reporters at the White House.

 

"This designation will impose further sanctions and penalties on North Korea and related persons and supports our maximum pressure campaign to isolate the murderous regime."

 

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also backed Trump’s decision, saying the move was in line with international efforts to bring the rogue state to its senses.

 

"Kim Jong Un runs a global criminal operation from North Korea pedalling arms, pedalling drugs, engaged in cyber-crime and of course threatening the stability of region with his nuclear weapons," Turnbull told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

 

"So we strongly welcome that decision and it mirrors the determination of the international community on bringing North Korea back to its senses."

 

Trump, who has often criticised his predecessors' policies toward Pyongyang, said the designation should have been made "a long time ago".

 

North Korea was put on the U.S. terrorism sponsor list for the 1987 bombing of a Korean Air flight that killed all 115 people aboard.

But the administration of former President George W. Bush, a Republican, removed Pyongyang in 2008 in exchange for progress in denuclearisation talks.

 

Experts say the designation will be largely symbolic as North Korea is already heavily sanctioned by the United States.

 

On Monday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special security advisor Moon Chung-in told reporters any such designation would be "more symbolic than substance".

 

The United States has designated only three other countries - Iran, Sudan and Syria - as state sponsors of terrorism.

 

North Korea is pursuing nuclear weapons and missile programmes in defiance of U.N. Security Council sanctions and plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland. It has fired two missiles over Japan and on Sept. 3 conducted its sixth and largest nuclear test.

 

South Korea's spy agency said on Monday the North may conduct additional missile tests this year to improve its long-range missile technology and ramp up the threat against the United States.

 

(For multimedia coverage of North Korea click - https://www.reuters.com/north-korea/)

 

(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason and David Brunnstrom in WASHINGTON, Chang-Ran Kim in TOKYO and Jane Wardell in SYDNEY; Writing by Michael Perry; Editing by Editing by Lincoln Feast)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-21

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

South Korea, Japan say listing North Korea as terror sponsor will pressure Pyongyang to denuclearise

it's a re-listing, which means it has been on the list before... and it did not "denuclearize" then

[sweatalot]

I am afraid nothing will cause kim to denuclearize, not the starving of his people, not the frowning of the world - only violence could.

[Rancid]

Well you expect puppet Asian states to join the chorus whenever they are told. And if in any doubt we see Oz Goldman Sachs puppet Turnbull chime in with a hardy yapping to boot. Doubt this will have any effect on N Korea whatsoever, more a typical political being seen to be doing something for domestic consumption.

[Srikcir]

The listing might expose Thailand to closer scrutiny by the US for what is now close ties with a terror sponsor state. Thailand is one of the major trade partners with North Korea. With Thailand's historical positive trade balance with the US and recent request by Trump to improve that imbalance with the US, Thailand might come be vulnerable to US trade sanctions.

[craigt3365]

2 hours ago, Rancid said:

Well you expect puppet Asian states to join the chorus whenever they are told. And if in any doubt we see Oz Goldman Sachs puppet Turnbull chime in with a hardy yapping to boot. Doubt this will have any effect on N Korea whatsoever, more a typical political being seen to be doing something for domestic consumption.

You're a cynical one, eh? Puppet states? Seriously?  Too funny. Didn't they just say no action until they approve? That would indicate they are not a puppet state. LOL

 

Sanctions were lifted some 8 years ago in hopes NK would become a good member of our global community. Obviously, that didn't work.

And now 2 independent nations agree with new sanctions. I dare say they know more about this than any of us here.

[Russell17au]

What a load of bullshit. Trump is deliberately stirring the hornets nest because most of the other asean countries are now afraid that North Korea is going to attack someone so they are all buying up big on weapons of defense from America, so the more Trump stirs the pot the more the countries buy off America

 

[Trouble]

4 hours ago, Russell17au said:

What a load of bullshit. Trump is deliberately stirring the hornets nest because most of the other asean countries are now afraid that North Korea is going to attack someone so they are all buying up big on weapons of defense from America, so the more Trump stirs the pot the more the countries buy off America

 

Where the hell did you come up with this rubbish.  North Korea is bringing about all the problems.  Neither the US or South Korea have ever threatened the regime in North Korea but they persist in their efforts with nuclear weaponry. You really think Trump and the American government have nothing better to do than stir up your hornets nest to sell weapons?

[hawker9000]

13 hours ago, sweatalot said:

I am afraid nothing will cause kim to denuclearize, not the starving of his people, not the frowning of the world - only violence could.

He's a psychopath.  If anything this will only strengthen his whackjob resolve.   'Sort of like the teacher scolding the schoolyard bully in front of his classmates; only boy statesman - currently making millions on his speaking tours - has already apologized to and let this one have a nuclear button...

 

 

 

[craigt3365]

12 hours ago, Russell17au said:

What a load of bullshit. Trump is deliberately stirring the hornets nest because most of the other asean countries are now afraid that North Korea is going to attack someone so they are all buying up big on weapons of defense from America, so the more Trump stirs the pot the more the countries buy off America

 

Now afraid? Seriously? Tell that to the relatives of those killed by North Korea over the past decade and more. Easy to research this.

[mrwebb8825]

Why can't they write a real, new story? The op is a new opening paragraph followed by 7 paragraphs of cut-n-paste from the last 5-6 stories.

SK better learn to pull its head out of its butt. This delusion that they're in charge or that they have any say what so ever is pathetic. Must be killing them to have to keep agreeing with Japan. 

[boomerangutang]

On 11/21/2017 at 5:21 PM, Srikcir said:

The listing might expose Thailand to closer scrutiny by the US for what is now close ties with a terror sponsor state. Thailand is one of the major trade partners with North Korea. With Thailand's historical positive trade balance with the US and recent request by Trump to improve that imbalance with the US, Thailand might come be vulnerable to US trade sanctions.

Interesting.  Thailand is a destination point for N.Koreans seeking to be free.  Specifically, the S.Korean embassy in Bkk.  It's a long way from the Yalu river, but some N.Korean defectors make the long arduous journey.  On my small rural road, near Chiang Rai (near a cross-over point from Laos), I have twice seen groups of people huddling/waiting.  The folks don't talk, they're dressed in un-laundered black pajama-like clothing, their hair matted.  Most are crouching, Asia-style, and looking in all directions.   I suspect they're N.Koreans - on their way to Bkk - probably waiting for a van to take them on the next leg.  I also think the place they're gathered at is a sort of 'safe house'.  I guess I could approach them and try to engage in conversation, but I don't want to spook them more than they're already spooked.  

Note to self.  Next time I see a group like that, I will bring some food.

[Srikcir]

2 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

Thailand is a destination point for N.Koreans seeking to be free. 

I suspect based on past performance that if North Korea through China wants those people back, Thailand will do China's bidding.

While North Korean refugees may travel through Thailand for freedom elsewhere, it's notable they don't ask for asylum as refugees from the Thai government nor register with the Thai National Human Rights Commission. They'd rather remain covert in their travel through Thailand.

Good luck to them.

[boomerangutang]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

I suspect based on past performance that if North Korea through China wants those people back, Thailand will do China's bidding.

While North Korean refugees may travel through Thailand for freedom elsewhere, it's notable they don't ask for asylum as refugees from the Thai government nor register with the Thai National Human Rights Commission. They'd rather remain covert in their travel through Thailand.

Good luck to them.

I'm quite sure they seek to get into the S.Korean embassy building in Bkk. They have few viable options. Actually Bkk used to be rather safe haven. In past years, N.Koreans had to run a gauntlet of Thai cops.  However, nowadays it's probably worse for N.Koreans seeking asylum.  Because Thailand's leaders (whether elected or self-appointed) are so beholden to China, and China mandates that N.Koreans be treated as criminals - it's probably worse now that Thailand has a military junta in charge.

 

While traveling south through China, they don't even talk and avoid sitting together - for fear of getting caught.  Same in communist Laos - though there it's mostly trekking along jungle trails.

 

Where can they go - find the nearest S.Korean embassy/consulate?  Doubtful they can show up in Beijing for that.  Surely, Chinese security is surrounding the SK embassy in Beijing like a wet blanket over a shoebox.  Doubtful Cambodia is good for N.Koreans seeking asylum.  Not sure about VN or Mongolia.

 

Surely, whenever N.Koreans travel abroad in, let's say, sports teams, they're watched extremely closely - and they're probably told that family members left behind will get punished, if any team members bolt.