N. KOREA HIT WITH HARSHER PENALTIES

U.N. condemns ‘reckless’ devotion to nuclear program

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve broad new sanctions against North Korea in response to its recent nuclear and missile tests.

“Nearly all North Korean resources are channeled into its reckless nuclear program,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power told the council after the vote. “The government of North Korea would rather grow its nuclear program than grow its own children.”

Hours after the Security Council resolution passed, North Korea fired several short-range projectiles into the sea, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry.

The resolution was drafted by the United States and North Korea’s No. 1 ally, China.

The sanctions require North Korean cargo ships and aircraft to be inspected before entering and after leaving the reclusive country. They prohibit small arms and other conventional weapon sales to North Korea.

President Obama issued a statement hailing the resolution as “a firm, united and appropriate response.”

“Today, the international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people,” Obama said.

The U.S. Treasury also announced sanctions against four entities and 12 individuals who it said are involved in North Korea’s illegal nuclear weapons program.

“Our coordinated efforts send a clear message: The global community will not tolerate North Korea’s illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and there will be serious consequences until it modifies its reckless behavior,” Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said.

North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear weapons test last month, claiming it tested a hydrogen bomb and fired a long-range rocket over Japanese airspace Feb. 7 — missile technology banned by previous U.N. resolutions.

“With each nuclear test and launch … North Korea improves its ability to conduct a nuclear attack on most of the countries on this council,” Power said.