U.S. makes some progress in talks with China over N. Korea sanctions

It is reported that the U.S. and China are making some progress in the behind-the-scenes talks after escalated tensions between the two countries over North Korea’s nuclear issue including a military confrontation. How much the two countries can narrow down their differences in imposing additional U.N. sanctions on North Korea would determine the execution of on the U.S. plan to impose a tough economic sanction on China and a military option about North Korea.

A source from the U.S. State Department said in an interview with the Dong-A Ilbo on Thursday, ”China opposed additional sanctions against North Korea, not publicly accepting that North Korea’s Hwasong-14 missiles are an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). However, it recently expressed implicitly that it might take some of the U.S. demands and is in behind-the-scenes talks.”

The proposed sanctions by the Department of Treasury is said to include sanctioning up to 40 Chinese trading companies, financial institutions, entities and individuals that violated the U.S. administrative orders and the U.N. Security sanctions in trading with North Korea.

Jeong-Hun Park sunshade@donga.com