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The U.S. Treasury is taking another look at US$24 million in North Korean accounts in a Macao bank to see if some of the money could be unfrozen because it comes from legitimate activities, Reuters reported Wednesday citing unnamed U.S. officials.
The wire agency said some officials emphasized that the Bush administration ¡°is now inclined to find a solution to the year-long dispute over the accounts in Banco Delta Asia, which Washington has called a ¡®willing pawn¡¯ in Pyongyang's counterfeiting and money-laundering activities.¡± But this, according to officials, ¡°would not affect UN sanctions and U.S. control over Pyongyang's illegal financial dealings and weapons trade.¡± An official said Treasury accountants ¡°may compare and review North Korean accounts in Banco Delta Asia and separate legal from illegal accounts.¡±
The U.S. previously claimed it was impossible to tell legal from illegal funds in Pyongyang's accounts. An official at the Treasury said "There is active discussion within the administration on whether to make concessions and if so, how far, how fast and under what conditions," according to Reuters. The U.S. and North Korea plan to meet again on Jan. 22 to discuss the issue, which Pyongyang says must be resolved before it will give up its nuclear program.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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