Report: North Korea ambassador lobbies for sanctions relief at U.N.

Oct. 23 (UPI) -- North Korea's new ambassador to the United Nations is circulating a press release that calls for the easing of sanctions, with the aim of bringing changes at the United Nations Security Council, according to a Japanese press report.

Japanese network JNN reported Tuesday it had obtained a document, signed by Ambassador Kim Song, addressed to Sacha Sergio Llorenti Solíz, the Bolivian ambassador to the U.N. and president of the Security Council.

"I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as an official document of the Security Council accordingly," Kim said in his letter to Llorenti.

The press release sent to Llorenti on Oct. 22 includes the statement North Korean deputy foreign minister Choe Son Hui issued with her Chinese and Russian counterparts in Moscow on Oct. 9.

The statement says China, Russia and North Korea had reached a consensus on sanctions and that all three sides see a need to "regulate" North Korea sanctions over time at the U.N. Security Council.

JNN reported Llorenti had accepted the document upon receipt.

The United States is adamantly opposed to easing any sanctions against Pyongyang until the regime has reached denuclearization.

A State Department representative told Voice of America on Monday if North Korea fails to denuclearize, then sanctions will remain in "full force."

The United States is slowing the pace of negotiations, and the highly anticipated summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un has been officially postponed to 2019.

Speaking on Echo Moskvy radio station in Russia on Tuesday, White House national security adviser John Bolton said the second summit will take place after Jan. 1.