US President Donald Trump extended the existing economic sanctions against North Korea for another year on the 17th of local time and redefined North Korea as an'emergency and special threat'.

This is an annual measure, but, as it happens, North Korea recently broke through inter-Korean relations through the recent blasting of the Gaeseong Inter-Korean Contact Office and the declaration of the policy of relocating military units in the guard post (GP) area in the Geumgangsan tourist area, Gaeseong Industrial Complex, and the Demilitarized Zone. This was done in the midst of raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

President Trump said in a letter to the Parliament that day and in the publication of the Gazette that he would extend the validity of six administrative sanctions against North Korea, including Executive Order 13466 (June 26, 2008) issued during the administration of George W. Bush.

Following 13466, administrative orders related to North Korea sanctions expanded during President Barack Obama's 13551 (August 30, 2010), 13570 (April 18, 2011), 13687 (January 2, 2015), and 13722 (March 15, 2016), No. 13810 (September 20, 2017) since Trump's inauguration.

The North Korean administrative order is required by the National Emergency Action Act (NEA), sunset law, to issue a notice to the Parliament and a Gazette every year if the President wants to extend the validity.

As the first administrative order 13466 was issued on June 26, 2008, an extension process was in effect in late June every year.

Since his inauguration, President Trump has made the fourth extension this year.

President Trump said in a parliamentary notice, "The North Korean regime that destabilizes the Korean Peninsula and threatens the US military, regional alliances and trading partners, including the dangers of the existence and proliferation of fissile materials that can be used in weapons, the pursuit of nuclear and missile programs." Actions and policies, and other provocative, unstable, and oppressive actions and measures of the North Korean regime continue to be'emergency and special' threats to US national security, foreign policy and the economy,” he said.

He explained that for this reason, it was decided that it was necessary to maintain a “national emergency” declared in an administrative order related to North Korea.

The US recently sent a warning message not to cross the red line, such as additional high-strength provocations.

A US State Department spokesman said on the previous day that the United States fully supports South Korea's efforts in inter-Korean relations and urges North Korea to refrain from further acts that have adverse effects on North Korea.

(Photo = Getty Image Korea)