- North Korea is increasingly tying its economic and political future to Moscow and Beijing, a high-profile defector said Thursday, amid a spate of embassy closures that may have been sparked by tightened international sanctions against Pyongyang. North Korea has recently closed embassies in Spain, Angola and Uganda, while a report in Japanese media claims that the isolated regime plans to shutter a dozen more. "This is the first mass closure of embassies since the 1990s," Thae Yong Ho, who served as the North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain before defecting in 2016, said at a press briefing on Thursday in Seoul. He was elected to South Korea's parliament as a member of the ruling conservative People Power Party in 2020. North Korea has long used its overseas embassies as fronts for commercial activities and illicit trade, according to the U.N. Security Council. However, sanctions imposed by the United Nations and individual countries including the United States and South Korea over the North's banned weapons programs are making it harder for the diplomatic missions to make money, Thae said. "Embassies in countries like Uganda and Angola were financially benefiting North Korea and escaping U.N. sanctions," Thae said. "But with sanctions getting tighter, they are finding it difficult to get a financial return to North Korea." Instead, Pyongyang is turning its focus toward Moscow and Beijing, the lawmaker said. "Before, it was more of a non-aligned diplomacy that North Korea was executing, but now it is moving to a China- and Russia-centered diplomacy," Thae said. Beijing has long been Pyongyang's main ally and economic partner, and trade activity has picked up since North Korea began reopening its borders in August after a strict COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The North's ties with Moscow, meanwhile, have ramped up dramatically in recent months, with a rare overseas trip by Kim Jong Un to Russia and a follow-up visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Pyongyang. Reports have indicated that an arms deal is a key part of the renewed diplomatic engagement, with Pyongyang supplying weapons to Moscow to replenish a dwindling artillery stockpile as its war in the Ukraine grinds on. The White House said last month that North Korea had already delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told local reporters Thursday that they estimate shipments have already doubled to 2,000 containers, likely filled with supplies of 122mm and 152mm artillery shells. An unnamed JCS official added that the North may have also provided Russia with short-range ballistic missiles and anti-aircraft missiles, according to news agency Yonhap. North Korea is reportedly seeking advanced technology for its space and missile programs in return. It has announced plans for a third attempt at placing a military spy satellite into orbit after a pair of failed launches this year. The geopolitical realignment sparked by the Ukraine war has brought Russia and China closer together and is offering Pyongyang an opportunity to move away from its reliance on far-flung diplomatic missions to evade sanctions, Thae said. "Because of the [Ukraine] war and their military cooperation with these two countries, North Korea is thinking they are able to survive [without the closed embassies]," Thae said. "Therefore, their strategic movement is to pivot toward Russia and China."
North Korea has recently closed embassies in Spain, Angola and Uganda, while a report in Japanese media claims that the isolated regime plans to shutter a dozen more.
"This is the first mass closure of embassies since the 1990s," Thae Yong Ho, who served as the North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain before defecting in 2016, said at a press briefing on Thursday in Seoul. He was elected to South Korea's parliament as a member of the ruling conservative People Power Party in 2020.
North Korea has long used its overseas embassies as fronts for commercial activities and illicit trade, according to the U.N. Security Council.
However, sanctions imposed by the United Nations and individual countries including the United States and South Korea over the North's banned weapons programs are making it harder for the diplomatic missions to make money, Thae said.
"Embassies in countries like Uganda and Angola were financially benefiting North Korea and escaping U.N. sanctions," Thae said. "But with sanctions getting tighter, they are finding it difficult to get a financial return to North Korea."
Instead, Pyongyang is turning its focus toward Moscow and Beijing, the lawmaker said.
"Before, it was more of a non-aligned diplomacy that North Korea was executing, but now it is moving to a China- and Russia-centered diplomacy," Thae said.
Beijing has long been Pyongyang's main ally and economic partner, and trade activity has picked up since North Korea began reopening its borders in August after a strict COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
The North's ties with Moscow, meanwhile, have ramped up dramatically in recent months, with a rare overseas trip by Kim Jong Un to Russia and a follow-up visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Pyongyang.
Reports have indicated that an arms deal is a key part of the renewed diplomatic engagement, with Pyongyang supplying weapons to Moscow to replenish a dwindling artillery stockpile as its war in the Ukraine grinds on.
The White House said last month that North Korea had already delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told local reporters Thursday that they estimate shipments have already doubled to 2,000 containers, likely filled with supplies of 122mm and 152mm artillery shells.
An unnamed JCS official added that the North may have also provided Russia with short-range ballistic missiles and anti-aircraft missiles, according to news agency Yonhap.
North Korea is reportedly seeking advanced technology for its space and missile programs in return. It has announced plans for a third attempt at placing a military spy satellite into orbit after a pair of failed launches this year.
The geopolitical realignment sparked by the Ukraine war has brought Russia and China closer together and is offering Pyongyang an opportunity to move away from its reliance on far-flung diplomatic missions to evade sanctions, Thae said.
"Because of the [Ukraine] war and their military cooperation with these two countries, North Korea is thinking they are able to survive [without the closed embassies]," Thae said. "Therefore, their strategic movement is to pivot toward Russia and China."
主要な主題:North Koreaがサンクトペテルブルクと北京を重要な経済・政治的未来と関連付けること。
North Koreaがスペイン、アンゴラ、ウガンダなどの外交使節を閉鎖していること。
主要な出来事:North Koreaの脱北者Thae Yong Ho氏が、国際制裁の厳しさによって引き起こされた可能性がある外交使節の閉鎖について、木曜日の記者会見で述べた。
UN安全保障理事会がNorth Koreaの外交使節が不正な商業活動と不正な貿易を行うフロントとして使用していると報告している。
サウスカロライナ、米国などがNorth Koreaの禁止された武器プログラムに対して制裁を行っており、外交使節が金銭的利益を得ることが困難になっているとThae氏は述べた。
North Koreaは、サンクトペテルブルクと北京に重点を置くべきであるとThae氏は述べた。
Beijingは長年North Koreaの主要な同盟国と経済的パートナーであり、North KoreaがCOVID-19パンデミックのための厳しい封鎖を解除してから、貿易活動が活発化している。
一方、North Koreaのモスクワとの関係は、近年大幅に強化されている。
直接的なおよび潜在的な長期的な経済、環境、および安全性への影響:North Koreaがサンクトペテルブルクと北京を重要な経済・政治的な未来と関連付けることで、将来的にはNorth Koreaの経済的および政治的な安定性が向上すると考えられる。
また、これらの2つの国との結びつきが強まることで、North Koreaは国際的な制裁から解放され、経済発展と安全性を改善する可能性がある。
文化的および政治的な文脈を考慮しながら、地政学的および社会的な影響を評価すると、North Koreaがサンクトペテルブルクと北京との結びつきを深めることで、North Koreaと周辺国間の緊張を緩和する可能性がある。
また、North Koreaがサンクトペテルブルクと北京を重要な経済・政治的な未来と関連付けることで、North Koreaの文化および政治的な変化を促進する可能性がある。
結論:North Koreaがサンクトペテルブルクと北京を重要な経済・政治的な未来と関連付けることは、North Koreaの経済的および政治的な安定性を高め、制裁からの解放を可能にする可能性がある。
また、周辺国間の緊張を緩和し、North Koreaの文化および政治的な変化を促進する可能性がある。
調査質問:- North Koreaがサンクトペテルブルクと北京を重要な経済・政治的な未来と関連付けることが、North Koreaの経済的および政治的な安定性をどのように影響するか。
- North Koreaがサンクトペテルブルクと北京を重要な経済・政治的な未来と関連付けることが、North Koreaの国際的な関係や安全性をどのように影響するか。
- North Koreaがサンクトペテルブルクと北京を重要な経済・政治的な未来と関連付けることが、North Koreaの文化的および政治的な変化をどのように影響するか。
潜在的な未来の結果を探るためのリスト:- North Koreaとサンクトペテルブルクと北京の間の経済的な関係の強化- North Koreaが国際制裁から解放される可能性- North Koreaの経済的および政治的な安定性の向上- North Koreaの周辺国間の緊張の緩和- North Koreaの文化的および政治的な変化の促進