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NEW YORK: In the wake of North Korea's nuclear test and subsequent missile launches over the weekend, the United Nations (UN) Security Council is moving to take measures to punish the communist nation.
Last month, after North Korea set off a ballistic missile test, the group adopted a statement saying the country was in violation of a 2006 UN resolution. Now, the council is moving towards a more serious measure in a UN resolution.
One day after launching a nuclear test and firing three short range missles, North Korea ignored global condemnation, and fired two more missiles into the waters off the coast of its shores.
These actions violate a UN resolution passed in 2006 after Pyongyang's first nuclear test.
That resolution imposed sanctions on the rogue nation, and ordered a ban on all nuclear tests and missile launches.
Japanese Ambassador to the UN Yukio Takasu said: "Despite all these calls by the Security Council, DPRK went ahead with a second nuclear test after a missile launch in April. This is really a direct threat to the regional security, including Japan, but also a challenge to the Security Council. So there is unanimity that the council needs a strong message"
Now, council members are preparing to draw up yet another resolution, but divisions in the council could prevent swift action.
The US and its allies favour strong action against North Korea, such as steeped up financial sanctions and further arms embargoes.
US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said: "We share a common set of objectives which are to convey unequivocally that the actions by North Korea run counter to regional peace and security, violate international law, and need to be dealt with directly and seriously."
However, China -- North Korea's biggest trading partner and a member of the Security Council -- favours a softer approach, preferring instead to use diplomatic pressure such as the six-party denuclearisation talks.
But with so much international contempt for North Korea, any favouritism coming from superpower China could be a stain on their increasingly scrutinised record.
Russia too has been known to take a more hands-off approach when it comes to sanctions against North Korea and other nations.
As the US, China, Russia have equal veto power in the council, agreement on the details of a resolution, such as whether or not to include more sanctions, could take some time. And no one knows what North Korea is capable of in the interim.
- CNA/yt
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