Report: U.S. President Donald Trump has signed new sanctions into law on North Korea, Russia and Iran, which will allow the U.S. to constrict cash flow to the North. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had raised the possibility of talks with Pyongyang, but the State Department toned down his remarks saying now is not the right time.
Alannah Hill has this report.
 
Report: The bill called “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act” went into effect immediately after being signed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
 
Trump said that the bill sends a message to North Korea and Iran that the American people will not tolerate their dangerous and destabilizing behavior.
 
The sanctions on North Korea target those providing the country with crude oil and other oil products, and prohibits the employment of North Korean forced laborers and the trade of North Korean products.
 
However, the U.S. Congress has called for even tougher measures.
 
Cory Gardner, chairman of the of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs, said Tuesday that time for words is over, calling for a complete economic embargo against North Korea. He urged every nation of conscience to cut off all finance and trade with the North.
 
The State Department also said that now is not the time for talk with North Korea, a day after Secretary of State Tillerson expressed hope for dialogue with North Korea at some point.
 
Susan Thornton, acting assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said Wednesday that Tillerson has no plans to meet his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho at the ASEAN Regional Forum set to open on Sunday in the Philippines.
 
The state department said that Tillerson will instead meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the regional forum to urge Beijing to intensify pressure against Pyongyang.
Alannah Hill, KBS World Radio News.

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