The U.N. Security Council Sanctions Committee has unanimously approved exemptions for 17 humanitarian projects to allow fresh aid into North Korea, a diplomatic source told Reuters on Feb. 6. The projects, run by UNICEF and NGOs from South Korea, the U.S. and other countries, had been pending since early 2025. There is no formal U.N. announcement yet; South Korea's DongA Ilbo reported that U.S. President Donald Trump backed the move.
UN Committee Approves Sanctions Exemptions to Deliver Humanitarian Aid to North Korea
The United Nations General Assembly meets after China and Russia vetoed new sanctions on North Korea in the U.N. Security Council, at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., June 8, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo
By Heejin Kim
SEOUL, Feb 6 (Reuters) - A U.N. Security Council committee has unanimously approved exemptions from broad sanctions to allow fresh humanitarian aid to reach North Korea, a diplomatic source told Reuters on Friday, as Seoul and Washington press to re-engage Pyongyang.
Members of the U.N. Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea agreed on Thursday to lift restrictions for 17 humanitarian projects, the source said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. There has been no formal announcement from the Security Council or the sanctions committee, and the U.N. did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The projects — all implemented by international agencies such as UNICEF and by non-governmental organisations based in South Korea, the United States and other countries — had been pending since the first half of 2025, the source added.
Why The Exemptions Matter
The U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1718 in 2006 after North Korea's sixth nuclear test, imposing bans on transfers of arms, fuel and other items. Those measures have, at times, overlapped with shipments of humanitarian supplies, prompting requests for targeted exemptions to ensure relief deliveries can proceed without violating sanctions.
Impact: The committee's move is intended to clear bureaucratic obstacles so humanitarian organisations can deliver aid to vulnerable populations in North Korea while leaving the broader sanctions regime intact.
North Korea has long described U.N. and other international sanctions as hostile measures orchestrated by the United States that infringe on its sovereign right to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has remained publicly silent about the exemptions amid continued weapons development and deepening ties with Russia and China.
South Korea's DongA Ilbo reported that U.S. President Donald Trump gave his approval for backing the exemptions, a necessary step because the U.S. is a member of the committee and unanimous consent was required.
Reporting by Heejin Kim; Editing by Jack Kim and Raju Gopalakrishnan.
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