The UN Security Council voted unanimously to ban North Korea’s profitable textile exports and cap fuel supplies to Kim Jong-un’s regime.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe quickly welcomed the resolution and warned after the vote it was important to change North Korea’s policy by imposing a higher level of pressure.
South Korea’s presidential Blue House said the only way for Pyongyang to end diplomatic isolation and become free of further economic pressure was to end it nuclear programme and resume dialogue.
A South Korean government spokesman said: “North Korea needs to realise that a reckless challenge against international peace will only bring about even stronger international sanctions against it.”
The decision was the ninth sanctions resolution unanimously adopted by the 15-member Security Council since 2006 over North Korea’s aggressive development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
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A tougher initial US draft was weakened to win the support of China, Pyongyang’s main ally and trading partner, and Russia, both of which hold veto power in the council.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told the Security Council: “We don’t take pleasure in further strengthening sanctions today. We are not looking for war.
“The North Korean regime has not yet passed the point of no return.”
“If it agrees to stop its nuclear programme, it can reclaim its future.
“Iif North Korea continues its dangerous path, we will continue with further pressure.”
China’s official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary the US was making a mistake by rejecting diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang.
It said: “The US needs to switch from isolation to communication in order to end an ‘endless loop’ on the Korean peninsula where nuclear and missile tests trigger tougher sanctions and tougher sanctions invite further tests.”
Pyongyang warned the US it would pay a “due price” for spearheading efforts on UN sanctions over its nuclear programme, which it insists is part of “legitimate self-defensive measures”.
North Korea’s foreign ministry said: ”The world will witness how North Korea tames the US gangsters by taking a series of actions tougher than they have ever envisaged.”