US circulates Chinese-backed tough sanctions resolution on North Korea at UN

The United States has submitted a resolution to the United Nations Security Council that calls for tougher sanctions on North Korea over its missile tests and nuclear-related activities.

The draft resolution, which has China's blessing, calls for mandatory inspections of all cargo passing to and from North Korea, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said on Friday. 

It also calls for the blacklisting of dozens of North Korean individuals and entities.

The new measures are being touted as the strongest measures of their kind in decades.

Power said the proposed sanctions go further than previous bans and "are meant to ensure that North Korea will be held accountable for its actions." 

“It is a major upgrade and there will be, provided it goes forward, pressure on more points, tougher, more comprehensive, more sectors. It’s breaking new ground in a whole host of ways.”

The US ambassador made the announcement on Thursday before heading to a closed-door meeting where the US planned to circulate the draft to the council members.

The 15-member council is expected to vote on the draft resolution over the weekend. Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador Petr Iliichev has said Moscow needs time to study the draft.

The United States and China earlier struck a deal to impose punitive measures on Pyongyang. The two UN veto-wielding powers have been negotiating the draft resolution ever since North Korea declared a successful Hydrogen bomb test in January.

North Korea has vowed to develop a nuclear arsenal in an effort to protect itself from the US military.

The US occasionally deploys nuclear-powered warships and aircraft capable of carrying atomic weapons in the region. Thousands of US soldiers are stationed in South Korea and Japan.

North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and carried out four nuclear weapon tests — in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2016. It also launched a long-range rocket reportedly aimed at placing an earth observation satellite into orbit earlier this month.

The US and South Korea have denounced the move as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.​

North Korea, which is under UN sanctions over its nuclear tests and missile launches, accuses the US of plotting with regional allies to topple its government.

The country says it will not relinquish its nuclear deterrence unless Washington ends its hostile policy toward Pyongyang and dissolves the US-led UN command in South Korea.

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