Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§9251 Suspension of Sanctions and Other Measures

Title 22 › CHAPTER 99 — NORTH KOREA SANCTIONS AND POLICY ENHANCEMENT › SUBCHAPTER IV — GENERAL AUTHORITIES › § 9251

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President may pause most U.S. sanctions listed in subchapters I, II, or III (but not the sanctions in sections 9214(g), 9221b, or 9221c) for up to 1 year if he tells the proper congressional committees that North Korea has made measurable progress on six things: stopping counterfeit U.S. money (including giving up or destroying special counterfeiting tools), improving financial transparency to fight money laundering, working to meet U.N. resolutions, accounting for and returning foreign citizens who were abducted or wrongfully held, following international rules for handing out and monitoring humanitarian aid, and taking verified steps to improve conditions in political prison camps. The President can extend the pause in additional consecutive 180-day periods, but only after he certifies to the same congressional committees that North Korea kept meeting those conditions during the previous year.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §9251

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general
Any sanction or other measure required under subchapter I, II, or III (or any amendment made by such subchapters) (other than section 9214(g), 9221b, or 9221c of this title) may be suspended for up to 1 year upon certification by the President to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of North Korea has made progress toward—
(1)verifiably ceasing its counterfeiting of United States currency, including the surrender or destruction of specialized materials and equipment used or particularly suitable for counterfeiting;
(2)taking steps toward financial transparency to comply with generally accepted protocols to cease and prevent the laundering of monetary instruments;
(3)taking steps toward verification of its compliance with applicable United Nations Security Council resolutions;
(4)taking steps toward accounting for and repatriating the citizens of other countries—
(A)abducted or unlawfully held captive by the Government of North Korea; or
(B)detained in violation of the Agreement Concerning a Military Armistice in Korea, signed at Panmunjom July 27, 1953 (commonly referred to as the “Korean War Armistice Agreement”);
(5)accepting and beginning to abide by internationally recognized standards for the distribution and monitoring of humanitarian aid; and
(6)taking verified steps to improve living conditions in its political prison camps.
(b)Renewal of suspension
The suspension described in subsection (a) may be renewed for additional, consecutive 180-day periods after the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of North Korea has continued to comply with the conditions described in subsection (a) during the previous year.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Subchapter I, II, or III (or any amendment made by such subchapters), referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “title I, II, or III (or any amendment made by such titles)”, meaning titles I, II, and III of Pub. L. 114–122, Feb. 18, 2016, 130 Stat. 98, 101, 112. Titles I and III are classified principally to subchapters I and III, respectively, of this chapter. Title II is classified generally to subchapter II of this chapter. For complete classification of titles I, II, and III of Pub. L. 114–122 to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

2019—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–92 inserted “(other than section 9214(g), 9221b, or 9221c of this title)” after “such subchapters)” in introductory provisions.

Executive Documents

Delegation of Functions Functions and authorities of President under subsecs. (a) and (b) of this section delegated to Secretary of State, to be executed in consultation with Secretary of the Treasury when appropriate, by Memorandum of President of the United States, May 18, 2016, 81 F.R. 37479, set out as a note under section 9212 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 9251

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110