UN Security Council Slaps New Sanctions on North Korea

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea following its sixth and largest nuclear test. With backing from China and Russia, the council voted 15-0 on Monday to slap a ban on textile exports and restrict shipments of oil products to North Korea. The resolution is a watered-down version of the original US proposal. According to Al Jazeera, the initial US proposal included an assets freeze on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a complete ban on countries selling oil to his government, but the measures were softened to appease China and Russia. It is the ninth resolution unanimously adopted by the 15-member council since 2006 over North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear programmes.