Arguing that North Korea continues to pose nuclear proliferation risk, U.S. President Barack Obama has extended America’s national emergency against the country for another year.
The national emergency against North Korea was first declared on June 26, 2008.
“Because the existence and the risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the US, the national emergency declared on June 26, 2008 and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond June 26, 2010,” the White House said in a statement.
“On June 26, 2008, by Executive Order 13466, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 USC 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the US constituted by the current existence and risk of the proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula,” a White House statement said.
“The President also found that it was necessary to maintain certain restrictions with respect to North Korea that would otherwise have been lifted pursuant to Proclamation 8271 of June 26, 2008, which terminated the exercise of authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 USC App 1-44) with respect to North Korea,” it said.
