United States Seeks Coalition for Punitive Action Against North Korea

Strategic Insights -

American officials have intensified consultations at the United Nations in an effort to build a coalition in favor of punitive action against North Korea if it continues to defy international nuclear inspectors. The United States has drafted a proposed resolution for an economic embargo, but the text has not been shared with other countries. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Gallucci, who has led the American campaign to persuade North Korea to meet its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, was present at the meetings along with other officials.

The Clinton Administration's immediate goals are to encourage "corrective action" by North Korea, allowing inspectors to reconstruct the history of the reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear site, and to prevent further deterioration in the situation that would make it harder to discover whether North Korea had secretly removed nuclear explosive from the reactor. The United States is also seeking to prevent any further proliferation of nuclear materials in North Korea.

South Korea supports the threat of sanctions against the North, with Foreign Minister Han Sung Joo expressing optimism about China's attitude, despite Beijing's professed opposition to sanctions in the past. China has indicated that it will not stand in the way of trying to solve the issue. In Washington, the State Department announced that its third-ranking official, Peter Tarnoff, would visit Japan and South Korea for further talks with the leaders of those countries.

Key Takeaways:

  • The United States is seeking to build a coalition in favor of punitive action against North Korea if it continues to defy international nuclear inspectors.
  • The Clinton Administration's immediate goals are to encourage "corrective action" by North Korea, allowing inspectors to reconstruct the history of the reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear site.
  • The United States has drafted a proposed resolution for an economic embargo, but the text has not been shared with other countries.
  • Assistant Secretary of State Robert Gallucci led the American campaign to persuade North Korea to meet its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
  • South Korea supports the threat of sanctions against the North, with Foreign Minister Han Sung Joo expressing optimism about China's attitude.
  • China has indicated that it will not stand in the way of trying to solve the issue.
  • The State Department announced that its third-ranking official, Peter Tarnoff, would visit Japan and South Korea for further talks with the leaders of those countries.

Statistics:

  • 100 days: The amount of time the reactor at North Korea's nuclear site was shut down in 1989.
  • 2 nuclear waste dumps: The International Atomic Energy Agency requested to examine these dumps to shed light on North Korea's production of plutonium.
  • 4 countries: The four countries that are permanent members of the Security Council, along with the United States, which have the power to veto Council decisions: Britain, China, France, and Russia.

Sources:

  • The New York Times, June 6, 1994
  • The New York Times, June 6, 1994 (special to The New York Times)
  • United States Department of State