
Missile test has North Korea facing new sanctions 01:42
Story highlights
- The Security Council is frustrated by North Korea's recent nuclear and missile tests
- The proposed draft would ban North Korea from selling natural resources to fund its nuclear program
- It prohibits U.N. member states from providing aerospace engineering training to North Korean nationals
United Nations (CNN)The U.N. Security Council could slap North Korea with the broadest array of sanctions the county has ever received.
The United States has asked the Security Council to vote Tuesday on the proposed sanctions, according to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.
Security
Council members are agitated by North Korea's recent nuclear and
missile tests -- both of which defied current international sanctions.
"These
sanctions, if adopted, would send an unambiguous and unyielding message
to the DPRK regime: The world will not accept your proliferation," said
Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. "There will be
consequences for your actions, and we will work relentlessly and
collectively to stop your nuclear program."
The U.S. mission to the United Nations said the proposed resolution would be the strongest set of sanctions issued by the Security Council in more than 20 years.
According to a breakdown of the text obtained by CNN, the proposed sanctions include:
--
Banning Pyongyang from exporting most of the country's natural
resources used to generate money for the regime's nuclear and missile
programs. That includes coal, iron, gold and titanium.
--
Asking member states to ban North Korea from opening banks and to close
any banks believed to be associated with North Korea's nuclear and
missile programs.
-- Directing
U.N. member states to expel North Korean diplomats and foreign
nationals engaged in illicit activities. The draft also prohibits
providing training to North Korean nationals in fields such as aerospace
engineering and advanced computer simulation.
-- Banning
member states from allowing North Korea to charter foreign vessels or
aircraft and banning all nations from operating any vessels that use
North Korean flags.
-- Prohibiting flights and port calls by any planes or vessels believed to be engaged in illicit activity with North Korea.
According
to Power, the proposal also prohibits the supply of aviation fuel --
including rocket fuel -- to North Korea, prohibits the sale of small
arms to North Korea and requires all cargo going in and out of North
Korea to be inspected.
The defiant tests
In January, Pyongyang claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb in its fourth nuclear test.
In
a signed letter broadcast on state-run media, North Korean leader Kim
Jong Un wrote that he wanted to ring in the new year with, quite
literally, a bang.
"For the victorious
and glorious year of 2016 when the 7th convention of the Workers' Party
will be held, make the world look up to our strong nuclear country and
labor party by opening the year with exciting noise of the first
hydrogen bomb!" the letter read.
In
February , Pyongyang said it had successfully launched an Earth
satellite into orbit via the long-range Kwangmyongsong carrier rocket.
Fighting the regime, not the people
Power stressed that the resolution is not meant to punish the people of North Korea.
"The
North Korean people have suffered so much already under one of the most
brutal regimes the world has ever known. Rather, this resolution
focuses on a ruling elite that have inflicted so much of that
suffering," she said.
A U.S. official
familiar with the text said the 22-page resolution lists 17 North Korean
individuals and 12 North Korean entities that would be subject to
sanctions. The people and companies are believed to be facilitators for
North Korea's weapons programs. Some operate overseas.
The
company list includes the aerospace equivalent of NASA in Pyongyang. A
major bank in North Korea suspected of conducting lots of financial
transactions for the nation's military nuclear and missile tests is also
on the list, the official said. The sanctions would reportedly ban more
luxury goods going into North Korea.
When asked whether the resolution would make a difference in North Korea's behavior, the official expressed confidence.
"It will have an impact," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The French ambassador to the United Nations described the resolution as "unprecedented."
"I
believe the conditions are now met for a strong and consensual reaction
by the Security Council of the United Nations," Ambassador Francois
Delattre said.
"We believe we will soon
have a resolution establishing unprecedented sanctions to break the
cycle of irresponsible behavior by the North Korean regime, and to bring
them back to the negotiation table.

