The United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015 and presented 17 goals and 169 detailed targets to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development by 2030. Accordingly, as a member of the United Nations, North Korea also established a new strategic framework for cooperation with the United Nations in 2016 to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This UN Strategic Framework (UNSF) has covered the period 2017-2021 and was co-signed by the UN Country Team (UNCT) led by the Resident Coordinator in DPR Korea.

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Under the international sanctions leveled against North Korea, it has reflected its strategic focus for implementing SDGs in its five-year national development plan adopted at the seventh party congress held in May 2016, and announced measures to implement the SDGs in major areas such as energy, food and agriculture, drinking water and sanitation, forest restoration and environmental protection.