"Our US colleagues have already succeeded in this and continue to work in this direction — to create an atmosphere of horror around North Korea," Matsegora told Russian journalists in New York.
According to the ambassador, Washington gives a signal to all other countries that "it is forbidden" to deal with North Korea and that all those, who will do so, will have serious financial and material losses.
"Our facility in Rason [North Korean port city] in the only exclusion [from sanctions]… where we are freighting coal. There has not been a single tonne of cargo there for four months. No Russian coal miner now wants to go to Rason. The only explanation is that the United States prohibits and frightens," Matsegora added.
Matsegora noted that Russia's SUEK coal company had previously operated in this port, but halted its activity there in order not to put its business in the United States in risk.
According to the diplomat, officially, the Washington refers to the fact that the refusal to work in Rason is a voluntary decision of companies.