North Korea will be designated a 'state sponsor of terrorism' again

President Donald Trump announced plans Monday to reclassify North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism for the first time since 2008.

“The North Korean regime must be lawful,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting. “It must end its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development, and cease all support for international terrorism — which it is not doing.”

What does the designation mean?

A state sponsor of terrorism is a nation that has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.

The designation comes with four categories of sanctions:

• Restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance
• A ban on defense exports and sales
• Controls over exports of dual use items
• Miscellaneous financial and other restrictions

In other words, the designation allows the U.S. to put even more pressure on North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons development.

Who are the other state sponsors of terror?

Iran, designated in 1984. Sudan, designated in 1993. Syria, designated in 1979.

North Korea was designated as a state sponsor of terror from 1988 until 2008, when former President George W. Bush removed them from the list in a failed attempt to persuade North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program.

What now?

Trump said the Treasury Department will announce more sanctions on North Korea, saying “it will be the highest level of sanctions by the time it’s finished over a two-week period.”