UN votes to impose new sanctions on North Korea

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON

The United Nations Security Council voted Saturday to impose new sanctions against North Korea because of its recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests and advances in acquiring nuclear weapons.

The Council vote put North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, "on notice" by "matching its words with actions", said U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, after 15 member nations on the council voted yes for sanctions.

"North Korea's irresponsible and careless acts have just proved to be quite costly to the regime," Haley said, praising the resolution as the, "single largest economic sanctions package ever leveled against the North Korean regime".

The U.S.-drafted will ban North Korean exports worldwide such as coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood, worth more than $1 billion annually.

It also forbids countries from increasing the current numbers of North Korean laborers working abroad, bans new joint ventures with North Korea and any new investment in current joint ventures.

North Korea, accused the U.S. and South Korea of escalating tensions by conducting military drills in the region. China and Russia expressed concern about the ICBM test, but urged dialogue with North Korea while criticizing Washington’s strong rhetoric and deployment of a missile defense system in South Korea.

“Attempts to economically strangle North Korea are equally unacceptable as millions of people are in great humanitarian need,” said Russia’s deputy envoy to the UN, Vladimir Safronkov. “Sanctions will not resolve the issue.”