Japan, South Korea Urge China To Do More To Halt North Korea’s Weapons Programs

U.S. allies Japan and South Korea urged China to do more to get North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programmes, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro … have proposed that the United States and South Korea stop major military exercises in exchange for North Korea halting its weapons programmes.

North Korea is under a U.N. arms embargo and the Security Council has banned trade in exports such as coal, textiles, seafood, iron and other minerals to choke funding for Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programs.

In September, the council put a cap of 2 million barrels a year on refined petroleum products exports to North Korea.

The ships targeted for blacklisting were Xin Sheng Hai (flag unknown); the Hong-Kong-flagged Lighthouse Winmore; the Togo-flagged Yu Yuan; Panama-flagged Glory Hope 1 (also known as Orient Shenyu), Kai Xiang, and Billions No. 18; and the North Korean-flagged Ul Ji Bong 6, Rung Ra 2, Rye Song Gang 1, and Sam Jong 2.

Four ships were designated for carrying coal from North Korea by the council’s North Korea sanctions committee in October.

The United States has led a drive to step up sanctions on North Korea in response to Pyongyang’s efforts to develop nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States.

In Ottawa on Tuesday, Canada and the United States said they would co-host a foreign ministers meeting in Vancouver on Jan. 16 to demonstrate international solidarity against North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests. Representatives of the countries that sent troops or other military support to the U.N.-backed effort to repel North Korean forces after the 1950 invasion of South Korea will attend.

Japan, India and Sweden will also attend, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

Source: Reuters