The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday unanimously passed new sanctions against North Korea, following Pyongyang’s latest nuclear test and rocket launch.
The Security Council adopted the measure following weeks of negotiations between the United States and China, North Korea’s traditional ally.
A final draft of the resolution reviewed this week by the Associated Press is intended to “eliminate loopholes in previous sanctions and impose new ones” while limiting “adverse humanitarian consequences” for North Korean civilians, the AP reported.
The draft resolution bans “the export of coal, iron and iron ore that is being used to fund North Korea’s nuclear or ballistic missile programs,” as well as gold and rare earth minerals. It also prohibits other states from training North Korean scientists.
After today, no country will be allowed to train North Koreans in space-related fields or nuclear science.
— Samuel Oakford (@samueloakford) March 2, 2016
The resolution also requires countries freeze assets of entities linked to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, the AP reported.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the measures, Yonhap News Agency reported. “The resolution, adopted today, is an expression of the international community’s stern will that the North’s habitual nuclear tests and missile launches will no longer be tolerated,” Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam said in a statement.
Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January.
