UN imposes new North Korea sanctions over missile test

Security Council resolution aims to ban almost 90% of refine petroleum exports to North Korea

The UN has imposed new sanctions on North Korea in reaction to its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test (Photo: Metro)
The UN has imposed new sanctions on North Korea in reaction to its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test (Photo: Metro)

The United Nations Security Council yesterday unanimously agreed on a resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea, in response to its recent testing of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The aim is to limit the country’s access to refined petroleum products and crude oil, as well as what is earns from its workers abroad.

Almost 90% of refined petroleum exports to North Korea are projected to be banned through the resolution, by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year. It also demands that North Koreans working abroad are repatriated to their country, in contrast to the 12 months period originally proposed.

The resolution, which was drafted by the United Sates, also limits North Korea’s supplies of crude oil to four million barrels a year, and commits the Council to impose more reductions if another nuclear test or launch of another ICBM is conducted.

In late November North Korea maintained that it has successfully tested a new ICBM which would reach the US mainland.

Tension with the US has been increasing over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programme, which it has kept up despite years of resolution from the UN’s Security Council.