It’s official: the Trump administration has designated North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. While the layman might believe this title doesn’t do much, it puts America and its allies in a stronger position than they ever have been in.
Pyongyang is about to see even more sanctions than it already has, effectively choking the totalitarian regime.
The decision to add North Korea to the list of states sponsoring terrorism came November 20th, which was a week after President Trump returned from a trip to Asia. The 12-day trip included stops at five nations. A centerpiece of discussions was how to contain North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump told reporters at the White House that North Korea has “repeatedly supported acts of assassinations on foreign soil,” and continues to threaten nuclear devastation. Criticizing the previous administration’s handling of Pyongyang, Trump said that the designation should have happened “a long time ago.”
North Korea was named a state sponsor of terror by President Reagan back in 1988 after the bombing of a South Korean airliner. In 2008, President George W. Bush removed the rogue nation from the list in an attempt to persuade North Korea to end its nuclear program. Removing North Korea from the list wasn’t successful in convincing the communist nation to stop its weapon programs.
Other states on the list include Syria, Sudan and Iran.
Putting North Korea back on the list of states that sponsor terrorism is a move designed to put additional pressure on the nation and dissuade other countries from supporting North Korea. This designation indicates how brutal the North Korean regime is, and how little they value human life according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. President Trump said that the move supports the United States campaign to “isolate the murderous regime.”
The Treasury Department will announce more sanctions on North Korea. According to the president, they will be the “highest level of sanctions” imposed to date. These can include a freeze on U.S. foreign assistance, controls over exports of dual-use items, financial restrictions and a ban on defense sales and exports.
The president said during a recent cabinet meeting that the “North Korean regime must be lawful.” He went on to assert that the rogue government must end its ballistic and nuclear program. Trump all called for North Korea to “cease all support for international terrorism.”
For years, North Korea has pursued nuclear missile programs in spite of U.N. Security Council sanctions. The rogue nation has made no secret of its plans to develop a nuclear missile that is capable of hitting the United States’ mainland. In early September, North Korea conducted its largest nuclear test to date.
Although North Korea vows to continue to improve its long-range intercontinental missile technology, Japan and South Korean leaders praised President Trump’s decision. The two U.S. allies believe the move will increase pressure on the hermit nation to give up its nuclear program.
~ Conservative Zone
