Seoul – In a statement released Monday, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry rebuffed a recent report from the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), a coalition of eleven United Nations members that tracks sanctions compliance. The North Korean spokesperson said the report falsely portrayed the country’s overseas economic cooperation as illegal and warned that no new sanctions would stop Pyongyang’s development or defence of its core interests.

MSMT Report Accuses North Korea of Illicit Labor Export

The MSMT, which includes Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States, issued its findings on September 16. According to the team, North Korea continued to send workers abroad in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The report estimated that these workers generated between $450 million and $800 million in 2025, funds that the team says support the country’s nuclear weapons and ballistic‑missile programs.

The monitoring team further estimated that between 35,600 and 101,280 North Korean workers remain active in at least seventeen countries, with the majority located in China and Russia. The MSMT called on all nations to enforce UN resolutions promptly by repatriating these workers and refusing new work permits.

Pyongyang’s Response

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismissed the MSMT’s findings as a “fabricated report” aimed at portraying normal, mutually beneficial economic cooperation as illegal. The spokesperson emphasized that the country will not tolerate what it described as hostile forces attempting to curb Pyongyang’s cooperation with other nations. Moreover, the statement asserted that any additional sanctions would not block the nation’s development or defence of its core interests.

“We will continue to pursue legitimate economic partnerships that benefit our people and support our sovereign right to defend our nation,” the spokesperson said, adding that the regime remains committed to its development goals despite external pressure.

International Context

The issue comes amid ongoing international scrutiny of North Korea’s compliance with UN sanctions, which were first imposed to curb the development of nuclear weapons and long‑range missile capabilities. While the United States and several allies have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement, other members of the MSMT have expressed concern about the humanitarian impact of broad sanctions on ordinary North Korean workers and their families.

Human‑rights advocates note that many of the overseas workers are sent abroad under conditions that limit their freedoms and expose them to exploitation. They argue that a balanced approach is needed to address both security concerns and the welfare of the workers involved.

What Comes Next?

The United Nations is expected to review the MSMT’s findings at its next meeting of the sanctions committee. Depending on the outcome, member states may consider additional measures to tighten enforcement, such as stricter visa controls or targeted financial restrictions.

For now, North Korea maintains that its development trajectory will continue unabated, and it vows to resist what it calls external attempts to undermine its sovereign interests.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.