NEW YORK — In a significant setback for international efforts to monitor North Korea's compliance with sanctions, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was unable to renew the mandate for the expert panel responsible for overseeing the enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the resolution to extend the Panel of Experts' mandate for another year was vetoed by Russia, leading to the panel's mandate expiring on April 30. Despite 13 countries voting in favor, with one veto from Russia and one abstention, the panel, established in 2009 under UNSC Resolution 1874 following North Korea's second nuclear test, will cease its operation. The Panel of Experts, comprising eight members from the five permanent UNSC countries and representatives from South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, has been pivotal in identifying violations of sanctions imposed on North Korea, including its nuclear and missile programs and illicit trade practices.