The United Nations Security Council approved new sanctions Friday against North Korea, in response to the hermit nation’s role in overseas smuggling of oil and coal, according to U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
In a statement, Haley heralded the “historic” sanctions package as being another sign of international unity in exerting “maximum pressure” on Pyongyang.
“The approval of this historic sanctions package is a clear sign that the international community is united in our efforts to keep up maximum pressure on the North Korean regime,” Haley said. “We want to thank the members of the Security Council, as well as Japan and South Korea, for working with us to keep up the pressure and for their commitment to implementing U.N. Security Council resolutions and holding violators accountable.”
The panel dedicated to North Korea sanctions approved the measure unanimously. The sanctions impact 21 shipping companies, one individual, and 27 ships.
The sanctions were proposed last month by the U.S. Mission, coinciding with the Treasury Department’s introduction of a new round of sanctions against North Korea, targeting various trade and business enterprises inside the already isolated nation in order to turn up pressure on leader Kim Jong Un to abandon his nuclear weapons program.
The sanctions follow a sudden flourish in U.S.-North Korea diplomacy this month, with President Trump accepting Kim’s invitation to meet by May.
