Trump Puts North Korea Back on State Sponsors of Terrorism List, Will Impose More Sanctions

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced he will put North Korea back on its list of terror-sponsoring states.

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"Today the United States is designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism," Trump said during a press conference on Monday. "Should have happened a long time ago. Should have happened years ago." 

Trump also announced that he will impose new sanctions over the course of the coming weeks, and will be the highest level Pyongyang has ever seen.  

"Today's designation is long overdue as North Korea continued its sponsorship of terrorism. Pyongyang's use of nerve agent to kill Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is the most visible example of North Korea's attacks on dissent overseas," Anthony Ruggiero, a former deputy director of the Treasury Department said, according to CNN. 

North Korea will re-join Iran, Sudan, and Syria who are in the U.S. list of state terrorism, as these countries "repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism." 

The South Asian country was on the list for two decades spanning 1988 and 2008 and was taken off during the George W. Bush administration after the country agreed to dismantle part of its nuclear weapons program. 

In April this year, Congress noted, "North Korea has failed to live up to these commitments." 

"As part of the administration's maximum pressure strategy, we have asked all countries around the world to put diplomatic and economic pressure on the DPRK," an official told CNN, further adding "Whose regime threatens international peace and security with its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development, dangerous support for international terrorism and other malicious activities." 

"'Til Kim Jong Un must realize that the only path to a secure, economically prosperous future is to abandon his unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development and support for international terrorism and rejoin the international community," the official said. 

In September, the Trump administration issued sanctions against North Korea aimed at crippling the country's banking system and imperil its trade networks. 

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Trump's September executive order which targeted North Korea's textiles, fishing, information technology and manufacturing industries, was designed to "cut off sources of revenue that fund North Korea's efforts to develop the deadliest weapons known to humankind."

"For much too long North Korea has been allowed to abuse the international financial system to facilitate funding for its nuclear weapons and missile programs," Trump said. 

Adding, the sanctions were targeting  "only one country, and that country is North Korea." 

Trump and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un have had multiple verbal encounters in the past few months where the two leaders have repeatedly resorted to offensive, demeaning language. 

Earlier this month, during his visit to Vietnam for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, summit, Trump called the North Korean leader “Rocket Man” and vowed to “totally destroy” North Korea as he delivered a threatening speech about North Korea in South Korea's National Assembly. 

"Do not underestimate us. And do not try us ... The weapons you’re acquiring are not making you safer, they are putting your regime in grave danger" Trump said. 

 "Every step you take down this dark path increases the peril you face." 

In August, Trump threatened North Korea with his "fire and fury" comment, warning if North Korea made any more threatening remarks, then the U.S. would unleash its "fire and fury like the world has never seen. He has been very threatening ... and as I said they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before." 

In May, Pentagon released a study in which it bemoaned the "fraying" and "collapsing" U.S. Empire, recounting how competing powers Russia and China, along with others like Iran and North Korea, have played a major role in removing the U.S. from its position of global “pre-eminence" and that the U.S. “can no longer count on the unassailable position of dominance, supremacy, or pre-eminence it enjoyed for the 20-plus years after the fall of the Soviet Union."

United Nations spokesperson Farhan Haq said he had "nothing to say" about the US designating North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.  

"It's not our list," Haq said, according to CNN.