UK opposes easing sanctions on North Korea

The United Kingdom (UK) has opposed the easing of sanctions on North Korea as per the country's Ambassador to the United Nations, Karen Pierce.

She told NHK World that maintaining pressure on the reclusive state is necessary, despite China and Russia wanting to ease sanctions.

"The Russians and the Chinese want to get sanctions relief for North Korea," she said, adding that Britain is monitoring Russian ships which are helping transfer oil and other goods to North Korea "illegally" despite sanctions.

The British Ambassador also highlighted that North Korean labourers working overseas, who reportedly earn the US $ 800 million per year, need to be sent back home.

Pierce said that she would call on China, Russia, and other countries "to take action by the end of this year to send those labourers home."

The new development comes after the United States refused to ease sanctions on North Korea during the Hanoi summit last month. This led to the second US-North Korea talks ending abruptly, without a joint agreement, in Vietnam.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had reportedly asked for a sanction waiver in exchange for dismantling of Yongbyon nuclear complex, which the United States rejected, maintaining its stand of granting relief once complete denuclearisation is achieved.