Russia is reportedly expected to repatriate about 10,000 allegedly legal North Korean migrant workers to abide by United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on dictator Kim Jong-un’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs.
Under restrictions imposed by the U.N. on December 22, nations are required to send all North Korean workers home within two years.
In comments made to the Interfax news agency, Alexander Matsegora, the Russian ambassador to North Korea, said, “We will have to obey the Security Council decision and send all workers from Russia by the end of 2019,” reports Reuters.
The Kremlin’s envoy reportedly claimed that there were no illegal North Korean migrants in Russia, adding that “tens of thousands” are expected to be removed from the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged the United States to embrace dialogue rather than pushing North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un into “a corner.”
In October, Putin warned that tensions between the United States and North Korea had reached a hazardous level.
Under dictator Kim Jong-un, North Korea has threatened the United States numerous times.
During a speech at the United Nations last year, U.S. President Donald Trump cautioned that America would “totally destroy” North Korea if necessary to defend itself and allies.
Last month, President Trump accused Russia of helping North Korea circumvent international sanctions aimed at combating the rogue regime’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
“Russia is not helping us at all with North Korea,” the American president told Reuters. “What China is helping us with, Russia is denting. In other words, Russia is making up for some of what China is doing.”
“His comments appear to reference reports that Russian tankers have helped refuel North Korea with shipments at sea, and follows allegations from U.S. officials that Russia has been lax in its implementation of U.N. Security Council sanctions,” reported CNN.
Igor Morgulov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, reportedly dismissed Trump’s accusations as “absolutely unfounded.”
“Russia is fulfilling its obligations under the corresponding U.N. Security Council resolutions in full,” he declared. “The relevant U.N. Sanctions Committees do not set any claims to us [about fulfilling the sanctions against North Korea].”
According to the Moscow Times, a Russian governor who serves as the chief of a region in Russia’s Far East has urged the Kremlin to allow the North Korean migrants to remain in Russia despite the U.N. sanctions.
“Russia’s Labor Ministry had rejected all previous requests from local employer’s to give the North Korean citizens working permits last month,” reports the Moscow Times.
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