United Nations Security Council Resolution 2207
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| UN Security Council Resolution 2207 | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Date | 4 March 2015 | |
| Meeting no. | 7,397 | |
| Code | S/RES/2207 (Document) | |
| Subject | Extends mandate of expert panel monitoring Sanctions against North Korea | |
Voting summary |
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| Result | Adopted | |
| Security Council composition | ||
Permanent members | ||
Non-permanent members | ||
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On March 4, 2015, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2207 on North Korea. The resolution extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts, which supports activities of the ‘1718 Sanctions Committee’, for one year to April 5, 2016.
The Panel supports the Committee in information collection and investigates and analyzes activities of North Korea and UN member states to find any violations of North Korea sanctions and trade embargoes imposed by the Security Council.[1]
Based on the results, the Panel presents annual reports to the Security Council and recommends how to improve the implementation of sanctions.[2]
Back on October 9, 2006, North Korea conducted its first nuclear test. On the following October 14, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1718 on North Korea and established the 1718 Sanctions Committee mandated to support and monitor UN member states for efficient implementation of the resolution and designate sanctions targets.[3]
The Panel has been supporting the 1718 Sanctions Committee, although it was established pursuant to Resolution 1874 of 2009.[1]
Through Resolution 2207, the Security Council extended the mandate of the Panel for one year to April 5, 2016, and requested the Panel to submit a comprehensive final report, containing the findings and recommendations as the results of its investigation over the year, to the Committee by February 5, 2016, and also to the Security Council by March 7, 2016.[3]
Background
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2207 with the primary aims of monitoring North Korea and enhancing the sanctions implementation by UN members states, as North Korea continued military provocations and illicit transactions while tactfully avoiding existing sanctions.
According to the U.S. multimedia Voice of America (VOA), the 1718 Sanctions Committee, also known as the North Korea Sanctions Committee, stated in its annual report, “There are 29 reported cases of North Korea having allegedly violated UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea in 2014”.
It was said that most of the cases were related to North Korea’s consistent launching of short-range ballistic missiles. When North Korea fired missiles over February–March and June–July 2016, the incidents were reported as suspected violations by six countries and seven countries, respectively. In March 2014, a letter was received claiming that North Korea attempted to sell sanctions target items. Additional information on the claim was received by the Committee in September 2014[4]
According to the Panel of Experts report on February 26, 2015, Ocean Maritime Management (OMM), a North Korean shipping company listed in the sanctions targets on charges of including illicit weapons transfer, was avoiding sanctions by changing its vessel names.[5]
In addition, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles, presumed to be Scud missiles, into the Sea of Japan(East Sea) on March 2, 2015, when Key Resolve exercise took place.[6]
In short, as North Korea repeated military provocations and illegal transactions while evading sanctions, the Security Council passed Resolution 2207 extending the mandate of the Panel to monitor UN member states’ sanctions implementation status and impose more practical sanctions against North Korea.