The United States Ambassador to the United Nations visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Tuesday (April 16th) to increase pressure on North Korea.
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield visited the Korean DMZ on Tuesday, becoming the first U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to visit South Korea since 2016. The last U.S. official to visit this iconic location was Vice President Harris two years ago.
Earlier, Thomas-Greenfield discussed with South Korean officials the ways to extend the term of the Security Council’s expert panel. These experts have been monitoring North Korea’s nuclear weapon development for 15 years.
In March, Russia vetoed a U.S.-led resolution at the Security Council to extend the expert group’s term. The group’s reports provide the Security Council with the information needed to implement international sanctions aimed at thwarting North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. The relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang has grown closer since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leading to Russia vetoing the resolution.
Russia’s veto marks a shift in Security Council policy, as it is the first time in the 15-year history of the group that Russia has outright opposed the Council’s authorization.
As the rift within the Security Council on the issue of the Ukraine war deepens, the U.S. accuses Russia of seeking weapons and ammunition from North Korea.
Despite reports from research groups and a large number of satellite images released by the U.S. showing weapons flowing from North Korea to Russia and onward to arsenals near the Ukrainian border, both Russia and North Korea deny these allegations.
South Korean officials state that in return for selling weapons, Russia is providing food, raw materials, and weapon production components to North Korea, helping Kim Jong-un enhance food security and further develop its weapon systems.
Thomas-Greenfield arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a four-day visit, which includes meetings with North Korean defectors. She will then proceed to Japan.
The U.S. UN Ambassador’s office announced that in Japan, the U.S. Ambassador will meet with officials to discuss shared priorities at the United Nations and listen to the opinions of Japanese citizens who have been abducted by North Korea.