U.S. eyes additional U.N. action after missile tests

The Biden administration said Monday it’s looking at “additional actions” that the United Nations might take to respond to North Korea’s recent missile tests.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield wasn’t specific about what those actions might entail, but noted that the U.N. Security Council had met last week and renewed the mandate of experts who monitor sanctions against the North. The council is also expected to hold closeddoor discussions on North Korea on Tuesday.

“We’re looking at additional actions that we might take,” ThomasGreenfield said of the U.S. and others Security Council members.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan will be meeting in Washington soon with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea to discuss North Korea strategy as the administration finalizes a review of how to approach the country. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who recently returned from Tokyo and Seoul, said the three countries are united in dealing with the challenges posed by Pyongyang.

“What we’re seeing from Pyongyang in terms of these provocations does nothing to shake the resolve of our three countries along with allies and partners around the world to approach North Korea from a position of strength in order to diminish the threat that it poses to the region and beyond,” Blinken said.

On Monday, North Korea accused the U.N. of a “double standard” over its reaction to the launches, which violate U.N. sanctions, warning of serious consequences.

Last week, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea in a defiance of U.N. resolutions that ban such launches by North Korea. Some experts say North Korea’s missile launches, the first of their kind in a year, were aimed at applying pressure on the Biden administration.