UN leader admits negative impact of sanctions on North Korea

North Korean state media reported on December 9 that United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman expressed his goodwill to ease the tense atmosphere on the Korean Peninsula.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman (left) held talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho (right) on December 7. (Source: Kyodo/VNA)

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released an official statement saying that Jeffrey Feltman acknowledged the negative impacts of international sanctions on humanitarian aid to North Korea.

The statement stated: "The United Nations has expressed concern about the situation on the Korean Peninsula and wishes to make efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula in accordance with the spirit of the United Nations Charter based on the assurance of international peace and security."

KCNA also reported that the North Korean leaders and UN Deputy Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman agreed that Mr. Feltman's visit would contribute to promoting understanding and the two sides agreed to conduct regular communication.

Mr. Feltman is the highest-ranking UN official to visit North Korea since 2012. During his visit to Pyongyang, Mr. Feltman held talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho. The meeting was described by the media as taking place in a friendly atmosphere and the two sides discussed "issues of mutual interest and concern."

The rare five-day visit by a UN official to Pyongyang comes amid rising tensions in the region after North Korea test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that it said was capable of hitting anywhere in the United States.

International analysts and diplomats hope Mr. Feltman's recent visit can create momentum for UN-led efforts to reduce tensions surrounding Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs./.

According to Vietnamplus