United Nations hits North Korea with strongest' sanctions

United Nations, Manila: The United States and China piled pressure on North Korea on Sunday to abandon its nuclear missile programme after the UN Security Council approved tough sanctions which could cost Pyongyang $1 billion a year. The Security  Council members voted unanimously for a partial ban on exports aimed at slashing Pyongyang’s foreign revenue by a third. The sweeping measures were the first of that scope to be imposed on North Korea since US President Donald Trump took office and highlighted China’s willingness to punish its Pyongyang ally.

The resolution imposed a full ban on exports of coal, iron and iron ore, lead and lead ore as well as fish and seafood by the cash-starved state — stripping North Korea of a third of its export earnings estimated at $3 billion per year.  “This is the most stringent set of sanctions on any country in a generation,” Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN, told the Council after the vote. Mr Trump commended the Security Council and praised Russia and China for voting in favour of the sanctions. “The United Nations Security Council just voted 15-0 to sanction North Korea. China and Russia voted with us. Very big financial impact!” Mr Trump tweeted.

Meanwhile, in a characteristically fiery editorial before the latest sanctions were approved, the North’s ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun warned against US aggression.  “The day the US dares tease our nation with a nuclear rod and sanctions, the mainland US will be catapulted into an unimaginable sea of fire,” it said.