United Nations, New York. In no great surprise given the American push for sanctions, the UN has imposed new sanctions on North Korea, that many say are more feel good talking points, than anything likely to change the course of North Korean weapons development.
In New York, the United Nations Security Council has expanded sanctions against North Korea after its repeated missile tests, adopting the first such resolution agreed by the United States and Pyongyang’s only major ally China.
America led adding names to the UN blacklist, the global travel ban and asset freeze was the minimum sanctions measures the Security Council could have taken and comes after five weeks of difficult negotiations between Washington and Beijing.
Donald Trump has been pressing China aggressively to rein in its reclusive neighbour, warning that all options are on the table if Pyongyang persists with its nuclear and missile development programs. Some feel the options have “narrowed” as Trump recently sent a third US Aircraft carrier to the Korean penininsular region.
America has struggled to slow those programs, which have become a security priority given Pyongyang’s vow to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the US mainland. Beyond diplomatic and financial consequences, the United States remains prepared to counteract North Korean aggression through other means, if necessary. This was the message from Nimrata Randhawa or “Nikki Haley” as she calls herself, the US Ambassador to the UN.
“The Security Council is sending a clear message to North Korea today – stop firing ballistic missiles or face the consequences,” Ms Haley-Randhawa said. The tone of that statement indicates that somehow all parties are united in military action upon North Korea, yet no clear signal of that has come from either Russia or China.
Americas ordered sanctions were adopted unanimously by the 15-member council, sanctions four entities, including the Koryo Bank and Strategic Rocket Force of the Korean People’s Army, and 14 people, including the head of Pyongyang’s alleged overseas spying operations.