The United Nations Security Council has delayed the meeting scheduled to vote on the new resolution on North Korea’s recent nuclear missile tests.

The United States and Chinese’ resolution would dramatically expand the already existing UN sanctions on North Korea’s Pyongyang. In spite of this, due to a required procedural review of the resolution invoked by Russia, the vote was delayed for a day.

The vote, originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, will now take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, according to the council. The United States presented the United Nations council with the draft resolution in response to North Korea’s nuclear tests and rocket launches. The resolution is necessary and it needs to be adopted by the Security Council due to incoming challenges from North Korea, said Russian U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters.

The United Nation's Security Council. Photo: United Nation's Information Centre
The United Nation’s Security Council. Photo: United Nation’s Information Centre

The draft resolution would require mandatory inspections for every U.N. member of all cargo involved in any convoy passing through North Korea’s territory. A much tighter control regime considering that previous sanctions only require such inspections are there’s probable cause of illicit cargo.

As the country’s leader Kim Jong Un continues to isolate from any relationship with other countries, it’s impossible to negotiate clearly. Once the resolution gets put to vote, there’s no doubt it will be passed unanimously. If passed, the sanctions on North Korea by the United Nations would be the strongest U.N. sanctions rule in over 20 years.

North Korea’s power under menace

The new vote to tighten existing sanctions on North Korea would have a massive impact on the countries’ means for survival. Amongst mandatory cargo inspections, the sanctions would also include the expansion of banned weapons, export restrictions and having many North Koreans individual put on the blacklist.

The list would also include the expansive banning of luxury goods including recreational vehicles, luxury watches and recreational sports equipment, according to a Reuters publishing. The United States, alongside China, have agreed to support the severe measures taken by the U.N. intended to convince North Korea to abandon its atomic armaments.

Yet North Korea’s foreign minister Ri Su Yong has announced the boycotting of any session of the U.N. Human Rights Council that examines its record. He went on to accuse the United States, Japan and South Korea of sending agents into his country. Apparently for Minister Yong, infiltrated agents in his country are recruiting criminals in order to defeat North Korea.

“We shall no longer participate in international sessions singling out the human rights situation of the DPRK (North Korea) for mere political attack,” said Minister Ri Su Yong as he addressed attendees during the 70th session of the U.N. General Assembly.

Source: Reuters