Security Council imposes new sanctions on North Korea

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution to tighten sanctions on North Korea in response to the country's fifth nuclear test, media reports said.

The resolution sets an upper limit on the country's coal exporting, saying the total exports of coal from North Korea should not exceed $400.9 million or 7.5 million metric tons per year, whichever is lower, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, the council decides that the provision shall not apply to transactions in iron and iron ore that are exclusively for livelihood purposes and not to generate revenue for North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

According to the resolution, the the sale of copper, nickel, silver, zinc and statues from North Korea are also banned.

On September 9, North Korea conducted a nuclear warhead explosion test. It was Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test.

The 15-nation council condemned in the nuclear test and said that it was "in violation and flagrant disregard of the Security Council's resolutions".

"The DPRK (North Korea) must reverse its course and move onto the path of denuclearization through sincere dialogue," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after the adoption of the resolution.

Till now, the Security Council has adopted six resolutions to curb the North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

--IANS

vgu/