Bringing Kim Jong Il to His Knees

Robert J. Einhorn, the U.S. State Department`s special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control, said Monday in Seoul that Washington will announce blacklisted North Korean entities and individuals engaged in illicit activities in several weeks. He also stressed that the U.S. will offer strong incentives to North Korea to ensure its implementation of obligations for denuclearization and pledge against committing further provocations.

Washington thus plans to use all of the control measures at its disposal to sanction Pyongyang in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874 and other international rules. The U.S. earlier designated 23 North Korean agencies and companies and five individuals subject to sanctions via Executive Order 13382, which governs weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore, the U.S. will add to this blacklist organizations that trade conventional weapons and luxury goods. So Washington has hinted at controlling all types of illicit activities by Pyongyang and block money from reaching the North Korean leadership.

Einhorn said, "We have no interest in talks for the sake of talks," adding, "Pyongyang must show sincerity in delivering on its promise of (denuclearization) that already exists." He said pressure itself is not the goal but rather ensuring that the North recognizes that sincerely attending negotiations is in its national interests.

Unlike in 2005, when U.S. financial sanctions froze the North`s accounts with the Macau-based Banco Delta Asia, Pyongyang will likely be unable to dodge sanctions this time by resorting to the deceitful measure of promising to return to the six-party talks.

Sanctions on North Korea are implemented through a U.S. executive order, unlike those imposed on Iran. So the measure entails no binding power for a third party nation. Having expected additional sanctions by Washington, Pyongyang has shifted its known bank accounts, including those in Switzerland, to banks in other countries. The North has distributed funds and kept its deposits at Chinese banks friendly with Pyongyang. Einhorn said the U.S. will ask China for cooperation but whether and how much Beijing will do so remains unknown. The latest sanctions against Pyongyang depend on how third party nations, including China, will cooperate. To this end, collaboration and concerted diplomatic efforts by Seoul and Washington are more important than before.

With the North struggling under diverse economic sanctions by the South, the additional U.S. sanctions will significantly add to the Stalinist country’s burden. If the communist regime of Kim Jong Il fails to admit to and apologize for the sinking of the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan and declare a commitment to denuclearization, it will continue facing sanctions until it ultimately surrenders. Seoul and Washington must also be wary of Pyongyang`s attempt to protest the sanctions through a third nuclear test and additional acts of aggression.