The UN’s Security Council passed Resolution 2371 on Saturday. The resolution was unanimously passed with 15 votes in response to North Korea’s continued testing of ICBMs, which was in violation of previous UN resolutions. The resolution, drafted by the U.S., bans exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood to North Korea. The bill also prohibits increasing the number of North Korean laborers abroad and bans any new investment ventures with North Korea. This new ban will cut North Korea’s export revenue of $3 billion by a third, as it targets the country’s primary exports.
Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called this resolution “the strongest sanctions ever imposed in response to a ballistic missile test” and “one of the strongest sanctions that have been passed in a generation.”
“We should not fool ourselves into thinking we have solved the problem. Not even close. The North Korean threat has not left us, it is rapidly growing more dangerous,” Nikki Haley told the security council.
Many fear these new sanctions will cause even more tension between the West and North Korea, and even cause them to possibly retaliate. North Korea even accused the U.S. and South Korea of conducting military drills. China and Russia condemned the U.S for deployment of the THAAD anti-missile defense system in South Korea. China’s ambassador to the UN, Liu Jieyi, called for a halt of deployment in fear that it might escalate the situation. Ambassador Liu Jieyi also urged North Korea to “cease taking actions that might further escalate tensions.”
Trump previously shamed China for not doing enough to stop North Korea, although he seems to have had a change in heart after tweeting this on Saturday. The White House released a statement saying Trump “appreciates China’s and Russia’s cooperation in securing passage” of the resolution.
The United Nations Security Council just voted 15-0 to sanction North Korea. China and Russia voted with us. Very big financial impact!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2017
