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DPRK Urges U.S. to Substantially Lift Sanctions
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) urged the United States to substantially lift sanctions against the DPRK, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday.
On June 19, the U.S. administration decided to partially lift sanctions against the DPRK, though it made public its willingness to do so on September 17 last year, said a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry in an interview with KCNA Tuesday.
Under the decision, the spokesman said, the "act of trade with hostile states" the U.S. had enforced for half a century -- after defining the DPRK as an "enemy state" -- was abolished and sanctions against the DPRK were partially eased.
He said the latest move by the U.S. will have a positive effect on Washington high-level talks now under consideration between the DPRK and the U.S. and the settlement of other outstanding issues.
"With a view to creating an atmosphere favorable for Washington high-level talks on September 24 last year," the spokesman said, " We announced a moratorium on a satellite launch while high-level talks were under way."
Preparations are going on for the Washington high-level talks and the moratorium still remains in force.
He pointed out that the U.S. should not confine itself to a symbolic partial lifting of sanctions on trade and investment, but completely renounce the policy hostile toward the DPRK and turn to a total and substantial lifting of sanctions.
"If the U.S. honors the DPRK's sovereignty and free choice, and sincerely works toward improving bilateral relations and the principle of equality and reciprocity, the DPRK will move in good faith and work to clear the U.S. of its worries," he concluded.
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