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.
The US first circulated a draft resolution that called for a full ban on exports of oil to North Korea and an asset freeze on leader Kim Jong Un, the Worker's Party and the government of North Korea.
But later, the US put forward another draft that removed the full oil embargo, asset freeze, travel ban for Kim and softened the language on foreign workers and other issues.
"These are by far the strongest measures ever imposed on North Korea," Haley said. "They give us a much better chance to halt the regime's ability to fuel and finance its nuclear and missile programs, but we all know these steps only work if all nations implement them completely and aggressively."
Russia and China both have veto power as permanent members of the Security Council and had expressed skepticism over the initial sanctions proposal. But China said after Monday's vote it supported the resolution.
"China is consistently committed to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, to the peace and stability of the peninsula and to the solution of the issue through dialogue and consultation," said Chinese Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi after the vote.
"The resolution adopted by the security council today reflects this principle of three commitments and demonstrates the unanimous position of the international community of opposing DPRK's development of its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities."
Ahead of the vote, North Korea warned the United States that it would pay a "due price" if harsh sanctions were passed by the Security Council.
The sanctions were welcomed by Japan, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe telling local media Tuesday they impose "an unprecedented high level of pressure on North Korea."
"It is up to the international community to see that these resolutions are implemented," he warned.
In the wake of the sanctions' passage, Peru's foreign ministry said it had ordered North Korea's ambassador to leave the country within five days, joining Mexico in ejecting Pyongyang's representatives in recent weeks.
Source: CNN
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