Meeting in Brussels on Monday 17 July, the European foreign affairs ministers again threatened North Korea with further sanctions due to the country's ballistic and nuclear activities.
The conclusions adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council announce that "the Council will consider further appropriate responses in close consultation with key partners and in line with UN Security Council deliberations, notably through additional autonomous restrictive measures"
Concerned about the activities of the North Korean regime to obtain hard currency to finance its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, the EU ministers call on the member states to be vigilant.
According to a European source, several member states would also like to tackle the issue of North Korean workers, believing that their salaries ultimately end up back with the regime, giving it financial resources. However, "one or two" member states are reported to be reluctant about this, the source added.
The Council underlines the importance of the unity of the international community in the face of the North Korean nuclear threat. "Closer engagement with all EU's key partners in the region and worldwide is essential in this respect, including through enhanced outreach activities and support for the full implementation of UN sanctions by all countries", the EU foreign affairs ministers state.
Upon his arrival in Brussels, Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson singled out China, saying that the best way to maintain pressure on the Pyongyang regime was, "of course, to keep up pressure on the Chinese".
The EU foreign affairs ministers also reaffirm "the EU policy of critical engagement with the DPRK, which combines pressure with sanctions (...) while keeping communication, and dialogue channels open". They say that the EU is ready to support "a credible and meaningful dialogue", in consultation with key partners.
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini stated that the EU would better coordinate the actions of the seven member states that have a diplomatic presence in North Korea. The EU itself does not have a presence on the ground there. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)