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Politics/Diplomacy
2009/04/07 06:56 KST
Sen. Brownback to introduce legislation to put N. Korea in terrorism blacklist

   By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, April 6 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) Monday announced that he will introduce legislation later this month to list North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism in retaliation of the North's rocket launch Sunday in what he called violation of a U.N. resolution.

   The previous George W. Bush administration delisted the North in October to persuade the reclusive communist state to return to six-party talks on ending its nuclear weapons programs.

   "Senator Sam Brownback today announced that when the Senate reconvenes he will introduce legislation to re-impose U.S. sanctions that were lifted during the Six Party Talks, including designating North Korea a terrorist state," the senator said in a statement.

   North Korea launched the rocket Sunday in what the U.S. described as a failed attempt to put a communication satellite into space, but analysts say Pyongyang has demonstrated its ballistic missile capability as a bargaining chip in future missile talks as well as the six-party talks, stalled over how to verify its nuclear activity.

   The rocket flew over Japan, with its first stage falling in waters between Korea and Japan and the second and third stages together splashing into waters off Hawaii, about 3,200 km from the launch site, without reaching space.

   The U.S. sees it as a cover for ballistic missile test.

   The proposed legislation also will "call for the United States to confront the North Korean regime for its human rights abuses," the statement said.

   "As we have rolled back sanctions through the Six Party Talks, North Korea has responded by firing this missile towards the western United States and kidnapping two of our citizens, proliferated nuclear and missile technology to other terrorist states, and continued as one of the worst human rights violators in the world," he said. "The administration and Congress must work together towards a policy that confronts these threats and protects our national security."

   hdh@yna.co.kr
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