Concerns grow as UN Security Council rejects extension of North Korea sanctions panel: Can Japan, US and South Korea find a solution?

On the 28th of last month, the UN Security Council rejected a proposal to extend the term of the panel of experts investigating the implementation of sanctions against North Korea. This was due to Russia exercising its veto.
If the activities are terminated on the 30th of this month, UN monitoring of North Korea will inevitably weaken, and concern is growing in the international community.
The Panel of Experts was adopted in 2009 to strengthen the functions of the Security Council's subordinate body, the North Korea Sanctions Committee.
The panel was established based on the Security Council resolution. It is made up of eight experts in various fields, including finance and security, and compiles reports twice a year on violations of sanctions resolutions.
Based on this, the Security Council and individual countries may impose new sanctions on individuals or organizations that violate the rules. The UN Security Council collects various information from UN member states and other sources to investigate and analyze, so its reliability is highly regarded.
A report released last month pointed out that North Korea is earning foreign currency through illegal cyber attacks, and said that about 50% of its foreign currency earnings come from cyber attacks.
The SEC has investigated 58 cyber attacks on cryptocurrency-related companies suspected to be linked to North Korea. The damage amounted to a total of about $3 billion (about 450 billion yen) between 2017 and last year.
The term of the Panel of Experts is one year, and the Security Council has been renewing it by adopting a new resolution around March each year. On the 28th of last month, the Security Council passed a resolution to extend the term by one year.
Of the 15 member states, 13, including Japan, the United States, and South Korea, voted in favor of the proposal, but China abstained and Russia exercised its veto, resulting in the proposal being rejected.
A Security Council resolution cannot pass if even one of the five permanent members (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia) exercises a veto.
At the time of the vote, Russian UN Ambassador Nebenzia said, "This is a policy by Western countries to tighten the screws on North Korea."
According to the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, based on an interview with the South Korean representative to the United Nations, Russia had told the Security Council prior to the vote that it would "remain committed to the North Korean regime as specified in the resolution."
The paper said, "In effect, it spoke for North Korea's position. It said, 'Other than other Security Council resolutions,
Russia argued that there is a sunset clause in almost all treaties, so why is there none in the North Korea-related treaty? The Yomiuri Shimbun also reported that the panel was
"Russia is investigating the trade deal and it's possible that Russia has reacted negatively to this," he said. Many countries have criticized Russia for using its veto.
"The Panel of Experts has become a hostage to Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, which has put its blind selfish interests at the forefront rather than the Security Council's responsibility to uphold the international community and its security," the ambassador said.
"Russia itself procured military equipment from North Korea and used it in Ukraine, violating UN Security Council resolutions, and is irresponsible," said Japan's UN ambassador, Kazuyuki Yamazaki.
"Their (Russia's) reckless actions undermine the important restrictions we have imposed on North Korea in response to its nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches," White House National Security Advisor Kirby said.
If a new resolution is not adopted by the end of this month, when the panel's term expires, the panel will be abolished.
"We are concerned that North Korea's evasion of sanctions will increase, making it easier for the country to obtain funds for nuclear and missile development," he said. "Japan, the United States, and South Korea need to cooperate with like-minded countries in Europe and build a monitoring network under a new framework."
"We need to take a firm stance on the matter," said Thomas Greenfee, a former US golfer who was not involved in the panel's proposed extension, according to a report by Japan News Network on the 4th.
It is said that Ambassador Rood is planning to visit South Korea and Japan in the middle of this month to discuss how to respond. JNN reported, "Attention is focused on whether a solution can be found through the visit of the UN ambassador to Japan and South Korea."
I conveyed it.