The plenary meeting of the Financial Action Task Force on Anti-Money Laundering that was held in Paris from Oct. 19 to 21 adopted again a "public statement" in which the DPRK was listed as "a state subject to countermeasures".

We strongly denounce and reject the "public statement" full of hostility toward the DPRK as part of the moves of the U.S. and its vassal forces to impose sanctions on the DPRK and stifle it.

What should not be overlooked is that they are enforcing the UN Security Council's "resolutions on sanctions" on the DPRK upon the UN member nations as an "international standard" by letting the organization throw away "universality" and "impartiality", the principles called for by it in its activities.

The UNSC's "resolutions on sanctions" on the DPRK are illegal documents cooked up by the U.S. and its vassal forces to encroach upon the independence and the right to existence of the sovereign state in defiance of the UN Charter and the norms of international law, and a product of criminal acts against humanity and human rights.

Out of its consistent stand against money laundering and financial support for terrorism and the proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction, the DPRK, in close collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Regional Group on Money Laundering, took almost all action measures consistent with international standard such as the adoption of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism, modification and supplementation of the criminal law and enhancement of the responsibility and role of financial information and supervision institutions. It also has fulfilled its responsibilities by submitting detailed reports on them to the international financial supervision organization.

However, the plenary meeting of the organization adopted the "open statement" envisaging a total stop to banking transactions, not mentioning even a word about the sincere efforts made by the DPRK to implement the international standard, thereby clearly proving that the organization has been abused for the political purposes of the U.S. and its vassal forces to build an international network of financial blockade against the DPRK.

Under such situation, we will also take necessary countermeasures to cope with it.