Russia Responds to US Accusations of 'Non-Cooperation' on North Korea

On Friday, December 15, the Russian representative to the United Nations responded to accusations of 'non-cooperation' from Donald Trump, the President of the United States, and his Secretary of State regarding North Korea. According to AFP, Trump criticized Russia on Friday for not 'helping' in the matter of North Korea and pressuring the regime to reduce its nuclear activities. The US President stated during a conversation with reporters: 'China is helping, Russia is not helping. We would like to have Russia's help as well.' The White House announced on Friday that Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation on Thursday, December 14, regarding the missile and nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula. Shortly after Trump's criticism of Russia's 'non-cooperation,' Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, attacked Russia at the UN Security Council and urged Beijing and Moscow to exert more pressure on North Korea. Tillerson also accused Moscow of continuing to benefit from North Korean workers who work under conditions 'like slaves.' UN findings indicate that most North Korean workers in China and Russia are 'forced' to send the majority of their earnings back to their home country. The US government believes that the North Korean regime is circumventing sanctions using the income from these workers to fund its missile and nuclear programs. However, on Friday, the Russian representative at the UN Security Council responded to Tillerson and indirectly to the US President, blaming the US for the situation. According to Vasily Nebenzya, the Russian representative, North Korean workers in Russia do not have 'slave-like conditions,' and it is the US that is not cooperating. Nebenzya reiterated the usual accusation of the Russian government, stating that it is the US and South Korea that have escalated tensions by conducting military exercises on the peninsula. Russia believes that these two countries should stop their military exercises, and North Korea should halt its missile tests to create conditions for peace talks. The Russian representative further expressed doubt about the 'sincerity of the US statements' regarding peace negotiations. This year, the Korean Peninsula has faced a crisis due to North Korea's repeated missile and nuclear tests and the reciprocal military exercises of America's regional allies. During this period, North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests. Both North Korea and the US have threatened each other with a crushing response in the event of an attack. Due to these nuclear and missile tests, UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea have become significantly stricter in recent months.