One of the world's most isolated and impoverished countries, North Korea, may find itself even more so if the newest U.N. Security Council draft resolution that is circulating among the members comes to pass.
The draft resolution, which will tighten sanctions, is expected to be voted on by members of the Security Council in a matter of days. The sanctions are in response to last month’s launch of a missile from that country. That launch violated a ban on North Koreas’s using ballistic missile technology.
According to reports, the 15-member Security Council is near agreement on a new set of sanctions against the North Asian country. Although Washington wanted a harsher stance taken against the rogue nation, China showed hesitation and reluctance to take a tougher stance.
Chinese officials say that the launch last month was regrettable, but believe that the Security Council should avoid escalating tensions in eastern Asia.
The new sanctions are expected to affect more North Korean companies, state agencies, and individuals. Specifically, the sanctions would target assets with freezes, financial transactions and travel embargoes.
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The current draft circulating among the members calls for “determination to take significant action” if another launch like the one last month takes place or if North Korea attempts any more nuclear tests.
While it sounds as if the resolution’s bark is worse than its bite, the fact that the resolution will also have the backing of Russia and China would represent a significant blow to North Korea. China had earlier only wanted a statement calling for expansion of existing blacklists rather than a resolution by the council.
China is North Korea’s only major ally. North Korea is still technically at war with its southern counterpart, South Korea. The conflict that ended in July of 1953 was ended with a truce, not a treaty.