Disarmament Documentation

North Korea: Presidential Action on State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) and the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA), 26 June 2008

North Korea: Presidential Action on State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) and the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA), Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC June 26, 2008

On June 26, the President announced the lifting of the application of the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA) with respect to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea), and notified Congress of his intent to rescind North Korea's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST).
These actions were taken following North Korea's submission of a declaration of its nuclear programs, which will now be subject to verification.
North Korea's declaration, in conjunction with the steps North Korea has taken to disable, for the purpose of abandonment, its ability to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons, are significant steps toward our goal of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The Six-Party process operates on the principle of "action for action," in which the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia have taken steps to fulfill commitments in correlation to actions taken by North Korea to fulfill its commitment to denuclearize.
In the October 3, 2007 agreement on "Second-Phase Actions for the Implementation of the Joint Statement," North Korea committed to disabling its nuclear facilities, beginning with the three core facilities at Yongbyon, and to providing a complete and correct declaration of all its nuclear programs.
Since November 2007, U.S. experts have been on the ground at Yongbyon continuously, overseeing disablement activities. As North Korea has fulfilled its disablement commitments, the other parties, including the United States, have taken reciprocal action to provide energy assistance to North Korea.
On June 26, North Korea submitted to the Chinese government, which chairs the Six-Party Talks as well as the Working Group on Denuclearization, a declaration of its nuclear programs. This declaration package includes information about North Korea's plutonium program, which has produced fissile material for its nuclear weapons. It also addresses North Korea's uranium enrichment and proliferation activities.
By submitting this declaration, North Korea has begun to fulfill its declaration commitment.
In consideration of North Korea's action and having confirmed that North Korea meets relevant statutory criteria, the United States has taken reciprocal action to lift the application of the TWEA with respect to North Korea and is taking the legal steps necessary to rescind North Korea's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
The actual rescission of North Korea's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism can be carried out 45 days after the President's notification to Congress. The Administration plans to carry out that rescission only after: the Six Parties reach agreement on acceptable verification principles and an acceptable verification protocol; the Six Parties have established an acceptable monitoring mechanism; and verification activities have begun.

Source: US Department of State, www.state.gov.

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