U.S. SUBMITS N. KOREAN SANCTIONS TO U.N.

The United States submitted a draft resolution Thursday to the U.N. Security Council to impose new sanctions on North Korea following its recent nuclear weapons test and rocket launch.

Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said the draft calling for the sanctions is meant to hold North Korea accountable for its actions.

“It is a major upgrade and there will be, provided it goes forward, pressure on more points, tougher, more comprehensive, more sectors. It’s breaking new ground in a whole host of ways,” Power said. The draft will be circulated among the 15 council members, and a vote is expected over the weekend.

The move comes after the U.S. and China — North Korea’s chief ally — agreed on the draft resolution following more than a month of discussions.