UN slaps fresh sanctions on North Korea

International Desk: The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea in response to its recent ballistic missile tests.

The US-drafted resolution includes measures to reduce the nation's petrol imports by up to 90%.

China and Russia, North Korea's main trading partners, voted in favour of the resolution.

The country is already subject to a raft of sanctions from the US, the UN and the EU.

Washington has been imposing sanctions on Pyongyang since 2008, freezing the assets of individuals and companies linked to its nuclear programme and banning the export of goods and services to the country.

The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said the sanctions sent an "unambiguous message to Pyongyang that further defiance will invite further punishments and isolation".

Chinese envoy Wu Haitao said the vote "reflects the unanimous position of the international community" on the issue of North Korea's weapons programme.

US President Donald Trump also welcomed the resolution. He tweeted the world wanted "peace, not death".

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/Dec 23, 2017/Nasim