New multilateral N. Korea sanctions monitoring team debuts in Seoul

South Korea, the United States, Japan and eight other countries on Wednesday unveiled a new mechanism to monitor North Korea’s flouting of sanctions and strengthen sanctions enforcement, filling the void left by the UN Panel of Experts, which was dissolved following Russia's veto of its renewal.

South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano, joined by ambassadors to South Korea from eight countries, gathered in Seoul to announce the establishment of the "Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team," according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

The eight countries -- Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom -- bring the total to 11 nations spearheading the MSMT intergovernmental initiative.

The independent coalition of countries will operate notably outside the UN framework and aim to strengthen global cooperation, remaining open to broader participation, including from countries in the Global South, according to the Foreign Ministry.

"In light of the veto which disbanded the UN Security Council’s 1718 Committee Panel of Experts this year, we hereby express our intention to establish the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), a multilateral mechanism to monitor and report violations and evasions of the sanction measures stipulated in the relevant UNSCRs," read an English-language joint statement issued at the event.

"The goal of the new mechanism is to assist the full implementation of UN sanctions on the DPRK by publishing information based on a rigorous inquiry into sanctions violations and evasion attempts," the statement added, referring to North Korea by the acronym of its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The launch was deliberately timed to coincide with the trilateral vice foreign ministers' meeting among South Korea, the US and Japan in Seoul, held immediately after the event -- a clear indication that the MSMT's key initiative is led by the three countries.

The MSMT was established around seven months after Russia, using its veto as a permanent member of the UN Security Council in late March, blocked the renewal of the 1718 Committee Panel of Experts' mandate. Since 2009, the PoE has been tasked with overseeing the enforcement of UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea and issuing biannual reports on sanctions violations.

Speaking at a news conference, First Vice Foreign Minister Kim said "The government has been in close consultation with major countries, recognizing the need to minimize gaps in the monitoring of the implementation of UN sanctions on North Korea and to further strengthen the monitoring system."

Kim also explained that the urgency of swiftly addressing gaps in monitoring sanctions enforcement, driven by North Korea's ongoing violations -- including the development of illicit missile and nuclear programs, arms transactions with Russia, cyber theft and illicit ship-to-ship transfers -- was the primary reason for establishing the alternative mechanism outside the UN framework.

"North Korea's violations of UN Security Council resolutions have persisted, and in light of this, we believe it is crucial to act swiftly to close the gaps in sanctions monitoring. This prompted us to establish the MSMT outside of the UN framework," Kim told reporters.

Kim, however, left open the possibility of establishing a UN-affiliated monitoring body in the future, stating, "We have been reviewing the system within the UN and will continue to do so going forward."

Message against China, Russia

During the news conference, Campbell publicly cited Russia and China as key reasons for establishing the MSMT outside the UN, stating, "More recently Russia and in some instances, China has blocked some arenas of cooperation associated with those dangerous and provocative activities" by North Korea at the UN stage.

"So I think we have found it necessary to find venues and opportunities to cooperate outside of UN auspices, even though our preference would have been to continue the previous regime that was put in place by the Security Council," Campbell told reporters. "That avenue was prevented by Russian intransigents and so this is the approach that we've taken instead."

Campbell also publicly stated that "Russia's veto followed and was likely influenced by the publication of panel reporting" detailing its procurement of military equipment and ammunition from North Korea, in violation of the UN Arms Embargo.

"Since that time, Russia has continued to use ballistic missiles and other materials unlawfully procured from the DPRK to further its illegal assault on Ukraine," he said.

Campbell emphasized that Russia's veto and China's abstention at the UN Security Council in renewing the panel of experts will not serve as a barrier to efforts moving forward.

"Although Russia ended the panel and the PRC failed to signal support for renewal by its abstention, we are here to make sure that their efforts will not prevent public reporting on sanctions violations and evasion of activities that generate revenue for the DPRK's unlawful and destabilizing WMD and ballistic missile programs," Campbell said.

The PRC is the acronym for China's official name, the People's Republic of China.

"The potential for this to be a major effort in tracking and holding to account steps that North Korea is taking across a range of provocative actions is real and we look forward to it taking shape in the months and years ahead."