A United Nations committee has approved exemptions from North Korea sanctions to allow a new round of humanitarian aid projects to proceed, Reuters reported on Friday, citing an unnamed diplomatic source. 

Members of the U.N. Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea unanimously agreed on Thursday to exempt restrictions on 17 projects proposed by UNICEF and nongovernmental organizations in South Korea, the United States, and other nations, according to the report. The groups have been waiting for a green light on the humanitarian work since the first half of 2025, the source told Reuters.

The exemptions come amid a push by the Trump administration and South Korea to re-engage with North Korea diplomatically, Reuters said. So far, those efforts have fallen flat as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un continues to strengthen ties with Russia and China. 

Read more at Reuters