Washington promises reward for those who denounce Pyongyang support

Illegal trade, money laundering… The international financial flows which irrigate North Korea are not completely dried up, despite the sanctions imposed by the UN on the regime. The United States, which fears that this financial windfall will serve to support Pyongyang’s nuclear program, has therefore decided to use great means to dry up Kim Jong-un’s coffers. Washington thus promises up to five million dollars to any informant who would have solid “tips” about these underground economic activities, as recounted by our colleagues from Echoes, this Wednesday, December 2. The American authorities have even created a website dedicated to collecting these precious denunciations.

Uncle Sam’s eyes are particularly focused on China, where the authorities are accused of turning a blind eye to this trafficking. “China now finds itself in flagrant violation of the UN sanctions that it has itself voted”, in particular fulminated the American Alex Wong, deputy to the special representative of the State Department for the North. Because if a major part of official trade has ceased between the two nations since the end of 2017, illicit transactions have increased, irritates Washington. However, “the Chinese authorities are fully aware and they are doing nothing to put an end to it,” hammered Alex Wong, according to whom 555 illegal transfers at sea have been recorded since 2019 between Pyongyang and Beijing.

China’s scathing denial

These accusations had the gift of exasperating Beijing, which immediately denied them. “Even in the current context, China has not relaxed its efforts” to apply the sanctions, vowed Hua Chunying, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The latter calls on Washington to “do less sensationalism” and “to work more towards a political solution”.