US President Donald Trump on Wednesday heaped praise on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the United Nations but called for strict enforcement of sanctions for now.
Chairing a special session of the UN Security Council on non-proliferation, Trump said to expect "very good news" in the coming months and years from North Korea after his landmark summit with the young strongman in Singapore in June.
"Kim Jong Un, a man I have gotten to know and like, wants peace and prosperity for North Korea," Trump said.
"Many things are happening behind the scenes away from the media which nobody knows, but they are happening nevertheless and they are happening in a very positive way."
But Trump also called for the enforcement of sanctions, which the United States has spent years building through the Security Council in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile tests.
"Unfortunately, to ensure this progress continues, we must enforce existing UN Security Council resolutions until denuclearization occurs," Trump said, reading form a prepared text.
"However, we have detected that some nations are already violating these UN sanctions. This includes illegal ship-to-ship transfers which must end immediately," he said.
"The safety of the Korean peninsula, the region and the world depends on full compliance."
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday heaped praise on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the United Nations but called for strict enforcement of sanctions for now.
Chairing a special session of the UN Security Council on non-proliferation, Trump said to expect “very good news” in the coming months and years from North Korea after his landmark summit with the young strongman in Singapore in June.
“Kim Jong Un, a man I have gotten to know and like, wants peace and prosperity for North Korea,” Trump said.
“Many things are happening behind the scenes away from the media which nobody knows, but they are happening nevertheless and they are happening in a very positive way.”
But Trump also called for the enforcement of sanctions, which the United States has spent years building through the Security Council in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests.
“Unfortunately, to ensure this progress continues, we must enforce existing UN Security Council resolutions until denuclearization occurs,” Trump said, reading form a prepared text.
“However, we have detected that some nations are already violating these UN sanctions. This includes illegal ship-to-ship transfers which must end immediately,” he said.
“The safety of the Korean peninsula, the region and the world depends on full compliance.”
