UN sanctions on North Korea

In order to stop North Korea from taking reckless actions, there is no other way but for the international community, including China and Russia, to keep in step with each other and exert maximum pressure on the country, centering around the limiting of its crude oil supply.

The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting in response to North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the meeting emphatically that “only the strongest sanctions will enable us to resolve this problem through diplomacy.”

The United States has called for putting the draft to a vote on Sept. 11, probably based on their conclusion that the situation has become critical, with North Korea highly likely to take provocative action again, such as firing a ballistic missile, to mark its national foundation day on Sept. 9.

Koro Bessho, Japan’s ambassador to the U.N., echoed the U.S. call, saying that the international community “must apply maximum pressure on North Korea to make the country change its policy.” Swift adoption of an effective resolution is called for.

The United States and Japan aim to include a restriction on crude oil supply to North Korea in a new resolution. This is because a reduction in crude oil shipped via China’s pipelines to North Korea would deal a serious blow to Pyongyang both economically and militarily, possibly prompting the country to change its hard-line stance.

U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at his country expanding its own sanctions against those enterprises doing business with North Korea, pressing China to respond positively. He is also discussing taking military measures against North Korea.