UN Security Council votes unanimously to impose new sanctions on North Korea
The UN Security Council has voted unanimously to impose new sanctions on North Korea including banning $1 billion in exports.
The new sanctions are aimed at countering the threat posed by Pyongyang's nuclear programme following two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July.
The United States-drafted resolution comes after weeks of tough rhetoric from administration of President Donald Trump, with the President himself having recently taken aim at China for supposedly not doing enough to counter the regime of North Korea leader Kim Jong-un.
The US “is taking and will continue to take prudent defensive measures to protect ourselves and our allies” from the threat posed by North Korea, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said after the vote.
“The North Korean threat ... is rapidly growing more dangerous,” Ms Haley said, adding that “further action is required.”
The new resolution bans North Korean exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood. It also prohibits countries from increasing the current numbers of North Korean labourers working abroad, bans new joint ventures with North Korea and any new investment in current joint ventures.
The unanimously adopted resolution adds nine individuals and four entities to the U.N. blacklist, including North Korea's primary foreign exchange bank, subjecting them to a global asset freeze and travel ban.
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