The foreign ministry says it is mulling various steps with likeminded countries on creating an alternative mechanism for a UN panel that monitors the enforcement of UN sanctions on North Korea and whose term of office will end later this month. 

The ministry’s spokesperson, Lim Soo-suk, made the remarks on Thursday when asked to comment on U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield telling KBS the previous day that Washington and its partners are considering setting up a new organ within the UN General Assembly to monitor the enforcement of UN sanctions on North Korea.

The ambassador made such remarks in an interview with KBS as she discussed possible alternatives following Russia’s recent veto of an extension for the UN Panel of Experts, which has monitored violations of nuclear sanctions on North Korea over the last 15 years.

Lim said no specific direction has yet been set in pursuing the alternative mechanism, adding that consultations with likeminded countries is likely to take some time.