Text Fwd: U.S. exports to N. Korea declined dramatically due to U.N. sanctions: Commerce Dept.

* Yonhap News
2009/11/17 06:50 KST
U.S. exports to N. Korea declined dramatically due to U.N. sanctions: Commerce Dept.
By Hwang Doo-hyong

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Yonhap) -- U.S. exports to North Korea declined dramatically for the first seven months of this year due to international sanctions on the North after Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests, U.S. government figures show.

The U.S. shipped US$400,000 worth of products to North Korea during the January-July period, down from $52.2 million for the whole year of 2008, statistics from the Department of Commerce said.

The U.S. has actively joined U.N. resolutions adopted this year to impose financial sanctions and an overall arms embargo on North Korea, blacklisting several firms, financial institutions and individuals for their involvement in the development, production and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

North Korea has in return boycotted the six-nation talks on ending its nuclear weapons programs, although it recently hinted at returning to the stalled negotiations pending the outcome of imminent bilateral talks with the U.S.

Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea policy, is set to visit Pyongyang early next month to woo the North back to the nuclear talks amid growing skepticism that the North will abandon its nuclear arsenal.

As far back as 2002, according to recent reports citing Japanese foreign ministry dossiers, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il told then-Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Pyongyang that North Korea needs nuclear weapons so as not to become another Iraq, which was invaded by U.S. troops in 2003.

Kim was also quoted as saying that China and Russia had already agreed to the North's nuclear armament.

Of the total U.S. exports last year, cereals accounted for the bulk, worth $43.4 million, followed by $4.6 million worth of oil seed, fruits and grain seed and $2.2 million of animal and vegetable fats and oils.

The total value of U.S. shipments to North Korea for the past decade was $120.2 million, with the U.S. importing $100,000 worth of goods each in 2000 and 2002 and $1.5 million in 2004.

The total shipments break down to $52.2 million in 2008, $1.7 million in 2007, $5.8 million in 2005, $23.8 million in 2004, $8 million in 2003, $25.1 million in 2002, $500,000 in 2001 and $2.7 million in 2000.

No two-way trading was reported in 2006, when North Korea detonated its first nuclear device and conducted several missile tests, inviting U.N. sanctions.

hdh@yna.co.kr


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