The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), comprising governments from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, has released its first report. The report focuses on unlawful military cooperation between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Russia, including arms transfers and Russia's training of DPRK troops.
The MSMT was established in October 2024 to monitor and report on the implementation of United Nations sanctions measures on the DPRK. The first report consolidates information from participating states on violations and evasions of sanction measures stipulated in relevant UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), as well as open source intelligence. This report addresses a monitoring gap created by the disbandment of the UN Security Council's 1718 Committee Panel of Experts in April 2024, which was caused by Russia's veto in March 2024.
The release of the first MSMT report emphasizes the shared determination of participating states to fully implement relevant UNSCRs. The DPRK is urged to engage in meaningful diplomacy, while all states are called upon to join global efforts to maintain international peace and security in the face of ongoing threats from the DPRK and those that facilitate its illicit activities.
The MSMT will continue to monitor the implementation of UNSCRs on the DPRK and raise awareness of ongoing attempts to violate and evade UN sanctions. The opportunity for dialogue to reestablish the Panel of Experts as a central element of the UN sanctions framework remains open, provided the Panel is restored to its full form prior to disbandment.
For more information on the MSMT report, please visit their official website at https://msmt.info.