Asia-Pacific News

Clinton announces new sanctions against Pyongyang

Jul 21, 2010, 16:51 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates view North Korea through binoculars at an outpost in the truce village of Panmunjom on July 21. EPA/YNA

   Seoul - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Wednesday announced new sanctions against North Korea, that are to target Pyongyang's arms sales and purchases and seek to prevent nuclear proliferation.

   The measures, which follow the sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on the communist North, would also affect the import of luxury goods.

   Clinton, who is currently visiting South Korea, said the 'new country-specific sanctions' would help the United States to put a halt to Pyongyang's 'illicit activities that help fund their weapons programmes, and to discourage further provocative actions.'

   She stressed that the sanctions were not aimed against the North Korean people but against the Stalinist regime's 'misguided and malign priorities.'

   The US was also to expand previously existing sanctions under UN resolutions to pressure 'North Korean entities involved in proliferation and other illicit activities overseas,' Clinton was quoted as saying by the South Korean Yonhap News agency.

   She added that North Korea would be rewarded with international aid, the lifting of sanctions, and the 'normalization of relations' with Washington if it ceases belligerent behaviour in the region and takes 'irreversible steps' towards disarming.

   In the so-called two-plus-two talks, Clinton, Defence Secretary Robert Gates and their South Korean counterparts discussed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

   A joint statement from the meeting urged North Korea to show 'genuine will for denuclearization with concrete actions,' Yonhap reported.

   The US dignitaries, Foreign Minister Yu Myung Hwan and Defence Minister Kim Tae Young also called on Pyongyang to acknowledge responsibility for the March sinking of a South Korean navy vessel, in which 46 South Korean sailors lost their lives. North Korea denies any involvement.

   They called upon North Korea to refrain from further attacks or hostilities against South Korea underscored that there would be 'serious consequences for any such irresponsible behavior,' the statement said.

   Clinton and Gates visited the Demilitarized Zone which separates North and South Korea in an effort to 'demonstrate our steadfast commitment,' Gates said.

   Following a meeting between Gates and Defence Minister Kim Tae Young on Tuesday, the two countries announced a series of additional military drills, a reaction to the sinking of the corvette Cheonan.

   A four-day joint naval manoeuvre is to kick off in the Sea of Japan on Sunday.

   Clinton arrived from Kabul, where she participated in an international conference on Afghanistan.