Today, the frantic campaign of sanctions and pressure led by the U.S. against the DPRK is stretching its tentacles deep into the area of sports as well.

The U.S. has included various kinds of sports equipment and apparatus in the sanctions list and sees to it that not only the sales of sports equipment and apparatus to the DPRK are prohibited, but also the transit through the territory of other countries of the items donated to the DPRK by international sports organizations is blocked.

Due to the despicable and relentless pressure of the U.S., the regular leg matches which were set to be played in Pyongyang according to the agreements with some countries are being delayed for more than a year, and the decisions by relevant international sports organizations to hold 2017 World Junior Judo Championship and 2018 International Weightlifting Federation Junior World Championship in the DPRK were overturned. Australia even denied the entry of the DPRK players to take part in the AFC U-19 Championship 2018 Qualifiers.

Sports activities that promote friendship among peoples of the world and development of human civilization should not be abused in any case for sinister political purposes.

However, the heinous sanctions targeting the sports area of the DPRK, which the U.S. pursues by instigating its vassal forces, are an act that destroys modern civilization while seeking to overthrow the DPRK's ideology and system and completely shut out our people from enjoying proper cultural life.

This is clearly substantiated by the reckless remarks that Trump made recently at the UN General Assembly about "totally destroying" the DPRK.

The U.S. abuses even the lofty goals of sports for its wicked political purpose to topple the system of a sovereign state, but international sports organizations should defend the ideal of sports to promote peace and progress for humanity and development of humankind's physical culture and modern civilization.