Should the State Dept. Consider Putting North Korea Back On the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism? (S. 672)

What is S. 672?

(Updated January 10, 2020)

This bill would start the process of re-designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism after the country had been removed from the list in 2008 because of promises it made to stop its nuclear weapons program. It notes that North Korea has provided weapons to terror groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and has harbored members of the Japanese Red Army following attacks they’ve carried out. The bill would call on the Secretary of State to provide Congress with a report that evaluates whether North Korea should be added to the list of state sponsors of terrorism within 90 days of its enactment.

Currently, the State Department lists three countries as state sponsors of terrorism, all of which have been on the list for more than two decades: Iran (1984), Sudan (1993), and Syria (1979). The sanctions imposed as a result of this designation fall into four major categories:

• Restrictions on U.S. foreign aid to the country;

• A ban on defense exports and sales;

• Controls placed on the export of items that can be used for civilian or military purposes;

• Miscellaneous financial and other restrictions.

Argument in favor

North Korea has pushed ahead with its nuclear weapons program, behaves in a belligerent manner towards its neighbors, and has supported terror groups like Hezbollah. The rogue state should be put back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism and face related sanctions.

Argument opposed

North Korea may be reckless in pursuing a nuclear weapons program and its interactions with neighboring countries, but that doesn’t mean they should be considered a state sponsor of terror. The country was removed from the list as a reward for vowing to stop its nuclear program.

Impact

The government of North Korea; and the State Department.

Cost of S. 672

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced this bill to punish North Korea for its belligerent behavior towards South Korea and Japan, in addition to its aiding terror groups, by starting the process of adding the country back onto the list of state sponsors of terrorism. In the context of North Korea’s ongoing ballistic missile tests, Poe said inaction could embolden the rogue state into taking even more aggressive actions against its neighbors and the U.S.:

“Nearly a decade ago, the United States de-listed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a state sponsor of terrorism in exchange for guarantees to give up its nuclear program. Much like the ill-fated 1994 ‘Agreed Framework’ that gave North Korea nuclear technology, the result of this deal was a disaster: Kim Jong-un oversaw two nuclear tests and over twenty ballistic missile tests last year alone, and has persisted in utilizing terror as an instrument of state policy. I welcome Secretary Tillerson's distancing U.S. policy from the Obama administration’s "strategic patience" approach and look forward to working with the Trump administration to chart a more stable, secure future for Northeast Asia. Now is the time to bring added financial pressure to Pyongyang and hold them accountable for their actions.”

This legislation has the support of nine cosponsors in the Senate, all of whom are Republicans.

Of Note: The Trump administration announced that it will make a decision on designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism the week of November 20, 2017.

Media:

• Sponsoring Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) Press Release
  
• Sen. Cruz Op-Ed in the New York Times
• The Hill
• Red State