The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations announced late Thursday that the United Nations Security Council has proposed a draft resolution that would implement the strongest sanctions that have been issued against North Korea in more than two decades.
U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power told members at the organization’s New York City headquarters that the sanctions would have major repercussions on the Democratic People’s Republican of Korea for testing nuclear weapons in early January.
“These sanctions, if adopted, would send an unambiguous and unyielding message to the DPRK regime: the world will not accept your proliferation; there will be consequences for your actions, and we will work relentlessly and collectively to stop your nuclear program,” Power said.
The provisions would require all incoming and outgoing cargo to be inspected, including sectoral sanctions that completely ban select exports like coal, iron, gold, titanium and rare earth minerals. DPRK would not be allowed to import aviation fuel, specifically rocket fuel.
All small arms and other conventional weapons would be prohibited from being sold in North Korea. Financial limitations on banks and other national assets would make it harder for the government to raise funding, and attain technology and the expertise for implementing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Power said although the sanctions would be the harshest in recent history, they are meant to cripple North Korea’s regime, not to punish the people of the country.
The ambassador said they hope to have a vote on the provision in the near future, but did not specify how soon.
