Is North Korea Still Funding Terror? U.S. Labels the Country a State Sponsor of Terrorism Once More

The U.S. government has once again designated North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism this year.

The U.S. Department of State released its “2023 Country Reports on Terrorism” on Thursday. It identifies North Korea, Iran, Cuba, and Syria as state sponsors of terrorism. This designation carries significant consequences, including restrictions on arms exports, prohibition of U.S. aid, and implementation of financial sanctions.

The U.S. initially labeled North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1988, following the 1987 bombing of Korean Air Flight 858. North Korea was removed from the list in 2008, only to be re-designated in 2017 during the Trump administration. This decision was prompted by incidents such as the death of Otto Warmbier and the assassination of Kim Jong Nam. The designation has remained in effect since then.

The Department of State justified the re-designation, citing North Korea’s “repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.” This assessment of North Korea is reiterated in the current report, with no new information added.

U.S. officials continue to believe that four suspects involved in the 1970 Japanese airline hijacking are still hiding in North Korea. The report also highlights ongoing efforts by the Japanese government to seek explanations regarding Japanese citizens believed to have been abducted by North Korea during the 1970s and 1980s. Despite these efforts, North Korea has only returned five of the alleged victims.