Doug Stanglin

USA TODAY

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed tough new sanctions against North Korea on Wednesday for its flagrant violations of international law, particularly regarding the testing of nuclear weapons and missile technology.

The bipartisan bill, called the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act, was adopted by a vote of 96-0. The House passed similar legislation last month.

The measure targets North Korea’s ability to access the money it needs for developing miniaturized nuclear warheads and the long-range missiles to deliver them.

South Korea is also moving to punish Pyongyang, sending workers to close down the industrial complex in the border city of Kaesong. The move would end the last major cooperation project between the two countries and would shut off a source of income for the impoverished North.

The industrial park has brought $560 in cash into North Korea, according to South Korean Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo.

In Japan, officials said Tokyo will also impose new sanctions against North Korea.

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The Senate legislation follows Pyongyang’s recent satellite launch and technical advances that U.S. intelligence agencies say is aimed at developing an intercontinental ballistic missile tipped with a nuclear warhead. Pyongyang says it is merely developing a peaceful satellite capability.

In the annual assessment of global threats delivered to Congress on Tuesday, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper said North Korea has expanded a uranium enrichment facility and restarted a plutonium reactor that could start recovering material for nuclear weapons in weeks or months.

Before Wednesday's vote, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate had an opportunity to hold Pyongyang accountable for its growing aggression.

Minority Leader Harry Reid said it would send a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that "his reckless behavior will not go unanswered."

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In the latest development inside the reclusive Asian nation, North Korea has executed the chief of North Korea's military on corruption and other charges, the South Korean Yonghap News Agency reported Wednesday.

Army Gen. Ri Yong-gil, chief of the Korean People's Army General Staff, also faced charges of pursuing personal gain, the news agency reported. A source also confirmed the execution to Reuters.

Yonhap reported that Ri was executed last week as Kim presided over a joint meeting of the North's ruling Workers' Party and the military.

Up until last month, Ri — who served as the chief of the General Staff for almost three years — accompanied Kim on a series of inspection trips to military exercises and to the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces. He was absent at a joint meeting of the party and military, Yonhap reported.

Ri was not listed in attendance at events in Pyongyang celebrating the controversial satellite launch Sunday. A report on the event in the North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper did not mention Ri and listed Gen. Ri Myong-su in his place.

Contributing: The Associated Press