By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS – Russia and China are pressing the U.N. Security Council for an end to sanctions against North Korea. They have revived a 2019 effort to lift a ban on Pyongyang exports of seafood, statues, and textiles.

A reworked resolution was seen by Reuters Monday and calls for the council of 15 members to lift the sanctions, “in the intention of enhancing livelihoods of the civil population” of the small Asian nation.

U.N. Sanctions have been placed against North Korea since 2006 for their ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

This draft resolution includes additional measures that were first suggested by Russia, China and nearly two years back. These include lifting the ban on North Koreans working overseas and exempting inter-Korean railroad and road cooperation project from any sanctions.

Many U.N. diplomats said, under anonymity that the updated resolution will not receive much support. Two informal round of discussions were held by Russia, China and the United Nations on the draft resolution in 2019, but it was never submitted for formal voting.

Diplomats stated Monday that China, Russia and France have yet not scheduled talks to discuss their draft resolution. For a resolution to be passed, it needs nine votes. There are no vetoes of the United States or France.

China and Russia have not yet responded to our request for comments on the revised text. Diplomats claim that it was distributed to members of council on Friday.

China’s U.N. stated that “It was always China’s desire that we should also address humanitarian dimensions caused by sanctions imposed by Security Council.” Last month, Ambassador Zhang Jun stated to reporters that the draft resolution for 2019 “remains on table.”

DIFFICULT SITUATION

The spokesperson of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations refused to comment on the private council discussion, but said that U.N. members must focus on those violating existing sanctions.

The spokesperson stated that “The Security Council has consistently stated that it is ready to modify, suspend or lift any measures necessary in light of DPRK compliance.” “But the DPRK has not responded to the Security Council regarding its nuclear and ballistic weapons programs.

North Korea was officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Already, the U.N. Security Council allows for humanitarian exceptions. Last month, a U.N. rights inspector called for the lifting of sanctions as North Korea’s most sensitive risk is starvation following its fall into isolation in the COVID-19 epidemic.

North Korea has earned hundreds of millions of dollars by lifting sanctions that Russia and China proposed to lift on certain industries. These sanctions were imposed in 2016 to stop funding Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programs.

In violation of U.N. Sanctions, North Korea developed its ballistic and nuclear missile programs in the first half 2021, according to U.N. sanctions monitors. This was despite the worsening of the country’s economic condition.

This country has suffered food insecurity for many years. Observers say that the COVID-19 pandemic and sanctions have exacerbated the problem.

According to the new resolution, the council would acknowledge that the DPRK has been in a difficult economic and living situation in recent years. It also underlines the importance of respecting the DPRK’s legitimate security concerns, as well as ensuring the rights, dignity, and welfare of all citizens of DPRK.