WASHINGTON: The United States has kept North Korea on its list of state sponsors of terrorism, according to the latest annual report by the State Department. The report, released on Thursday, underscores North Korea’s continued support for acts of international terrorism, a status it has held since its redesignation in 2017.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the 2023 Country Reports on Terrorism acts as a crucial guide for shaping U.S. counterterrorism policy. The document includes North Korea alongside other nations such as Cuba, Iran, and Syria on the state sponsors of terrorism list. North Korea was first designated as a sponsor in 1988 due to its involvement in the 1987 bombing of a Korean Air flight. This designation was rescinded in 2008 following a legal review but reinstated in 2017.

The report cites North Korea’s ongoing support for international terrorism, highlighting the case of four Japanese Red Army members who remain sheltered in North Korea, evading extradition to Japan where they are wanted
for their role in a 1970 hijacking. Additionally, the report notes Japan’s ongoing efforts to seek information about Japanese nationals believed to have been abducted by North Korean state entities in past decades.

The criteria for rescinding the terrorism sponsor designation include a six-month period without support for international terrorism and assurances against future support. However, North Korea’s actions, as documented in the report, suggest continued non-compliance with these requirements.