(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on April 2)

It is deplorable that Russia exercised its veto power as a member of the United Nations Security Council to disband a U.N. panel tasked with monitoring sanctions aimed at preventing potential North Korean nuclear development activities. The panel will expire on April 30 as Russia blocked the renewal of its operation. We express strong regret over Russia's action. Seoul's diplomatic and security authorities are expected to face an escalating dilemma following the recent decision, which will inevitably undermine the oversight of U.N. sanctions aimed at deterring North Korea's possible advancements in nuclear ballistic missile technology. The panel was launched in 2009 following Pyongyang's second nuclear test. It is composed of eight experts dispatched by the UNSC member states. It has conducted investigations into North Korea's suspected violations of U.N. sanctions and released reports twice a year regarding the implementation of the punitive measures. In doing so, it has contributed significantly to havin g U.N. member countries abide by UNSC resolutions. In recognition of these achievements, the UNSC members unanimously endorsed the extension of the panel's mandate over the course of the past 14 years. However, this time around, the panel's extension for the year was unsuccessful, as it was blocked by Russia, which voted against it in a session held on Thursday. To get approval, there should be support from more than nine countries of the 15 UNSC board members plus unanimous approval by the permanent member states of the council. China abstained from voting. "This is almost comparable to destroying a [surveillance camera] to avoid being caught red-handed," said Hwang Joon-kook, the South Korean envoy to the U.N., during the meeting. Hwang went on to say that the case marked another setback for the authority of the esteemed body, as well as for the international nonproliferation regime. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood also said, "Moscow has undermined the prospect of a peaceful, diplomatic resolutio n of the most dangerous nuclear proliferation issues." Russia appears to have vetoed the panel's extension since it has reportedly been trading weapons with the North, though it has rejected such a claim. The annual report issued by the panel in March contains photos and other specific circumstances testifying the transaction of weapons between Pyongyang and Moscow. Russia's Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzia criticized the panel of experts for "increasingly being reduced to playing into the hands of Western approaches, reprinting biased information and analyzing newspaper headlines and poor quality photos." Russia has been taking flak for engaging in questionable activities related to North Korea's violation of U.N. sanctions. Russia's behavior is concerning, as it may encourage North Korea to pursue additional military provocations in the future. The North will likely be tempted to adopt more audacious approaches in its bid to acquire cutting-edge military technology, resources and foreign currency. As new Cold War tensions escalate, the UNSC has already lost its key function of maintaining international peace and security. In addition, Russia cannot escape criticism for disrupting the global order. The Kim Jong-un regime in North Korea is likely to be highly pleased with the recent development. Despite the appearance of sanctions against North Korea being eased, it is crucial to implement appropriate measures to prevent further unchecked actions by the North. Through tighter global cooperation, efforts should be made to strengthen surveillance over North Korea's potential nuclear programs. The U.N. vowed to continue to monitor the implementation of sanctions against North Korea despite the recent decision. Swiss Ambassador to the U.N. Pascale Baeriswyl, who heads the sanctions panel, indicated a solution can still be found by saying, "Not all doors are closed." She said there would be efforts to find an alternative with the support of independent experts and other research groups. The Yoon Suk Yeol a dministration should proactively explore countermeasures to ensure that sanctions against the North will continue despite the recent vote. Given the growing possibility of North Korean military provocations, nudged by the U.N. decision, more proactive efforts should be made to strengthen cooperation with like-minded countries to share information on the North's development of weapons of mass destruction and fortify joint defense postures. Source: Yonhap News Agency