N. Korean newspaper criticizes U.S. over unpaid contribution to U.N.

SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean newspaper on Thursday slammed the United States over its unpaid contribution to the United Nations, calling the move a politically motivated attempt to control the world body.

The North's Cabinet newspaper, Minju Choson, said the accumulated U.N. contribution not paid by the U.S. in the past two years is over US$1 billion and claimed its "refusal to pay the fee is due to a political reason, not an economic one."

"In other words, the U.S. is strangling the U.N. (by withholding its) contribution to push the world body to follow through on its strategy to conquer the world," the paper said, citing unidentified analysts.

Yet North Korea itself has not paid its dues to the U.N., blaming international sanctions for blocking its banking channels.

North Korea has been ramping up pressure on the U.S. in the face of stalled nuclear negotiations.

Also on Thursday, the North's state radio station denounced the U.S. over the rotational deployment of an Army unit to South Korea, branding Washington deceptive for talking of dialogue while bringing weapons to the Korean Peninsula.

scaaet@yna.co.kr
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