Major US allies from Asia support the UN Security Council’s unanimous vote to strengthen the sanctions on North Korea

Profitable textile exports are now banned and fuel supplies to the North capped after North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.

Both Japan and South Korea declared soon after the passage of the Security Council’s draft resolution that they were ready to apply more pressure if North Korea refused to end its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles test.

North Korea suffered its ninth sanction resolution unanimously adopted by the 15 members of the Security Council since 2006, all of which address ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

”We don’t take pleasure in further strengthening sanctions today. We are not looking for war,“ U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the council after the vote. ”The North Korean regime has not yet passed the point of no return.

“If it agrees to stop its nuclear program, it can reclaim its future … If North Korea continues its dangerous path, we will continue with further pressure,” Haley added

Han Tae Song, North Korea’s ambassador, told the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva that the US was “fired up for political, economic, and military confrontation”.

“My delegation condemns in the strongest terms and categorically rejects the latest illegal and unlawful U.N. Security Council resolution,” he said.

Source: reuters.com