Time to put Kim Jong Un on his heels

President Donald Trump’s November decision to designate North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism — in response to legislation I introduced that passed in Congress last year — was more than just a symbolic move. The administration has not only plugged holes in America’s sanctions regime against Pyongyang, but it has also established a decisive break from the policy failures of past administrations. It’s now time to seize the initiative, put Kim Jong Un on his heels and set conditions on America’s terms.

In the past, Washington viewed the Hermit Kingdom’s nuclear and missile tests more as a disciplinary problem, reluctantly announcing sanctions like hesitant parents punishing rebellious children. Contrary to President Barack Obama’s claims, North Korea was not in fact the world’s most sanctioned country, but rather the eighth. As Kim — and his father before him — quickly learned, this approach only empowered them to pace their country’s atomic development according to their own wishes.

This appeasement policy has consistently kept the United States two steps behind North Korea, and we must reverse course.

What the American people expect, and our allies need, is courageous leadership that forces Kim to respond on our terms and our timing. America should employ all elements of our national power to reverse this dynamic, but none more so than robust economic sanctions.

North Korea is a mafia state that funds its illicit pursuits through foreign shell companies, bank cyberheists and arms exports. Like any mob, it needs partners. Last month, the Institute for Science and International Security identified 49 countries responsible for enabling sanctions violations. This is a staggering figure, made even more concerning by the geographic diversity of the offending countries. From Eurasia and the Middle East to Africa and Latin America, nefarious regimes including China, Russia, Iran and Cuba have bankrolled North Korea’s nuclear pursuits.

Kim knows his regime is vulnerable, but until now, he has been able to rest assured that his pacing of missile and nuclear tests would set the tempo of international relations and give his elaborate financial web time to adapt to new sanctions. These moves have also enabled him to seize the diplomatic initiative, as evidenced by his recently proposed bilateral talks with South Korea.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in was right to reaffirm his support of sanctions last week, but merely keeping sanctions in place is not enough. Instead of waiting for the next test or the latest move from Pyongyang, Washington should immediately begin imposing sanctions on both North Korean and third-party entities.

Rather than intervals of silence punctuated by limited designations, the Treasury Department should establish its own rhythm of sanctions announcements and force Kim to respond to our campaign.

We’ve spent nearly three decades wondering what North Korea would do next. It’s time for North Korea to fear what America will do next. — Ted Cruz, a Republican, represents Texas in the U.S. Senate.