Page 11 - aruba-today-20170513

A11
WORLD NEWS Saturday 13 May 2017

North Korea sends protest to US Congress over sanctions

think its dangerous nucle- and Washington.
ar weapons tests, ballistic But he said Friday’s protest
missile tests, abhorrent hu- was also notable in that it
man rights record, and was sent by the recently
state support for terrorism. revived parliamentary for-
Sanctions will be tightened eign affairs committee,
if North Korea continues which was discontinued by
these activities,” Sherman Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, in
said in a statement. He 1998. The move to restart
added the U.S. should be the committee has been
ready to hold talks and re- seen as an attempt to cre-
lieve sanctions if the North ate a “window” for con-
agrees to real concessions tacts with the outside world
on its nuclear and missile — Seoul and Washington in
programs. particular.
Koh Yu-hwan, a North Ko- Pyongyang has had more
rea expert at Seoul’s Dong- than its usual share of criti-
guk University, said it’s not cism for Washington in re-
unprecedented for the cent months.
North to directly contact It has been in high-indigna-
the U.S. legislature or gov- tion mode for the past two
ernment. Pyongyang sent months because of military
Mansudae Assembly Hall, where North Korea’s legislature, the Supreme People’s Assembly, meets letters to the United States exercises between the U.S.
is seen in Pyongyang. A North Korean parliamentary committee sent a rare letter of protest to the in 1984 calling for the open- and South Korea that it
U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, May 12, 2017, over its new package of tougher sanctions. ing of three-way talks be- sees as a prelude to inva-
(AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon) tween Pyongyang, Seoul sion. q

By ERIC TALMADGE tions, which target North
Associated Press Korea’s shipping industry
TOKYO (AP) — A North Ko- and use of what the bill
rean parliamentary com- called “slave labor.”
mittee sent a rare letter of It’s not unusual for Pyong-
protest to the U.S. House of yang to condemn Wash-
Representatives on Friday ington’s moves to censure
over its new package of it, but direct protests to
tougher sanctions. Congress are exceptionally
The sanctions were con- rare. Pyongyang normally
demned as a “heinous expresses its displeasure
act against humanity” by with Washington through
the foreign affairs commit- statements by the Foreign
tee of the North’s Supreme Ministry or other institutions,
People’s Assembly, ac- or through representatives
cording to a state media at its United Nations mission
report. in New York.
It was not immediately Staff of lawmakers on the
clear how the protest was House Foreign Affairs Com-
conveyed — if it was sent mittee said they had not
by mail or how it was ad- received a copy of the
dressed — since North Ko- letter. However, Rep. Brad
rea and the United States Sherman, the top-ranking
have no diplomatic rela- Democrat on its Asia sub-
tions and virtually no official committee who read the
channels of communica- letter online, said it demon-
tion. The report, carried by strated North Korea’s vul-
the North’s Korean Central nerability to sanctions that
News Agency, said the let- it was calling for the House
ter was sent Friday. to “think twice” about
The Republican-led House strengthening them.
overwhelmingly voted May “It is the regime of Kim
4 to impose the new sanc- Jong Un that should re-