Dictatorship rejects sanctions over tests

North Korea’s senior envoy to a leading UN disarmament body says his country “categorically” rejects a Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Han Tae Song lashed out during a plenary session of the UN’s Conference on Disarmament, saying the US “would pay a due price”.

The comments came as North Korea faced renewed criticism at the Genevabased body of its recent weapons tests.

The UN Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions in a watereddown resolution without an oil import ban or international asset freeze.

The resolution does ban North Korea from importing natural gas liquids and condensates, but it only caps Pyongyang’s imports of crude oil at the level of the last 12 months.

It also bans textile exports and prohibits all countries from authorising new work permits for North Korean workers – two key sources of hard currency.