The chief of the External Policy Office of the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issued on February 23 the following statement “Illegal anti-DPRK sanctions-breeding moves will prompt the DPRK’s behavioural counteraction to defend its sovereign right”:

Recently the US and its followers held a confab called a meeting of the management committee of the “multilateral sanctions monitoring team” in Washington and talked about intensifying the implementation of the UN “resolutions on sanctions” to cope with the nuclear and missile “threats” of the DPRK.

The “multilateral sanctions monitoring team,” which was formed by a group of states that are only doing harmful things, far from contributing to international peace and security, is nothing but an illegal and criminal ghost group in terms of its name and purpose.

We strongly warn that the anachronistic acts of the hostile forces foolishly attempting to block the exercise of the legitimate rights of the DPRK, taking issue with it for no reason, contrary to the recognized principles of international law regarding respect for sovereignty and non-interference in other’s internal affairs as core, may bring about adverse effects too serious for them to cope with.

The US should know that however it may play diplomatic tricks and goad its servants, it can never bring back to life the worn-out sanctions mechanism against the DPRK and that the more it clings to the sanctions tools, the more it will get difficult and uncomfortable, instead of us.

Taking this opportunity, we clarify once again our stand on the issue of sanctions that lifting of sanctions through negotiations has not been our concern since long ago nor is it put on our agenda items as we have no more sanctions to be cancelled or to be imposed.

The US barbarous sanctions have helped the DPRK learn more perfectly how to survive, self-sustain and grow stronger even in the face of the severest external circumstances, and they have rather served as a decisive factor that propelled us into hastening the upbuilding of a powerful force no one can ignore as our first priority.

The DPRK will pay no heed to sanctions, but will never overlook the provocations of the US and its followers to encroach upon the legitimate sovereign right of the DPRK under the pretext of implementing sanctions but strongly counter them with resolute actions.

The illegal anti-DPRK sanctions-breeding moves of the hostile forces will prompt the DPRK’s behavioural counteraction to defend its sovereign right and they will have to pay a heavy price.

KCNA