US hits N. Korea with large package of new sanctions

International Desk: North Korea has been struck by Donald Trump’s “large package” of new sanctions that could cripple the regime of despot leader Kim Jong-un as the US seeks to diffuse world tensions, it has emerged.

Reports have claimed that Donald Trump is lining up a “large package” of sanctions against the isolationist kingdom.

Donald Trump is set to announce the sanctions today that has been labelled “the largest package yet” by a senior administration official.

Since levelling sanctions on Kim Jong-un last year, it appears that China has started to cut its trade to North Korea.

Donald Trump has previously emphasised that Xi Jinping needs to cut off the trade to the hermit kingdom as a way of crippling the nation and forcing it to give up its aggressive nuclear weapons program.

Beijing’s trade with North Korea recently fell to its lowest level since at least June 2014.

Although China remains the despot regime’s largest trading partner, trade was slashed 52 per cent form the year-earlier period and 31 per cent month over month.

In January, trade between Beijing and Pyongyang came in at $215.97million.

The Asian superstate’s exports to Kim Jong-un racked up to a total of $168.88million last month.

This is a significant drop from the $257.73 that was recorded in December 2017.

China is set to release data on Saturday that will detail is dealings with North Korea and explain which shipments were affected by the sanctions.

In December Xi Jinping imported no iron ore or lead from Pyongyang and exported no oil products bar what is being called a small amount of jet fuel.

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/Feb 23, 2018/Nasim