UN passes fresh sanctions on North Korea

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea on Monday — a move that comes just one week after the rogue nation carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test. The resolution is designed to accomplish six major goals: cap North Korea’s oil imports, ban textile exports, end additional overseas laborer contracts, suppress smuggling efforts, stop joint ventures with other nations and sanction designated North Korean government entities, according to a US official familiar with negotiations.

“Today, we are saying the world will never accept a nuclear armed North Korea, and today the Security Council is saying that if the North Korean regime does not halt its nuclear program, we will act to stop it ourselves,” US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said following the vote on Monday.

“We are done trying to prod the regime to do the right thing, we are now trying to stop it from having the ability to do the wrong thing,” she added.

As of Tuesday afternoon in Pyongyang, most North Koreans had not been informed about the new sanctions, according to CNN’s Will Ripley, who is in the North Korean capital.

However, North Korean officials told CNN that increased pressure from the US could mean Washington faces “a very strong response, with unbearable consequences.”

“Hostile sanctions are like a delusion tantamount to expecting foolishly that the ocean would dry up,” one official told CNN, while emphasizing that the government had not yet released an official response.

“As long we have a very powerful nuclear arsenal, we can ensure the security and peace of the homeland and its people,” the official added.

SOURCE: CNN INT’L