The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved harsh new sanctions on North Korea that punishes the rogue regime for several nuclear-related tests earlier this year.

The vote had been delayed by Russia's request for an additional review of the resolution, but ultimately won approval of Moscow as well as of China, North Korea's sole international backer.



"We remain clear eyed about the prospects of an immediate change in DPRK's behavior, but we have seen how robust sanctions can alter a government's dangerous nuclear ambitions in other contexts," said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "So long as North Korea continues to undermine international security through its dangerous pursuit of nuclear weapons, the United States and our partners will pursue rigorous and unyielding sanctions to impede their ability to endanger our shared security."

The new sanctions, the strongest in more than two decades, will require all cargo going to and from North Korea to be inspected for items that violate the terms of the restrictions. The measure prohibits exports of coal, iron and iron ore used to finance its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile program, as well as other minerals. It also bans importation of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel.

North Korean banks and financial assets will be targeted, and restrictions on luxury goods have also been strengthened. Those now include bans on luxury watches, recreational sports equipment, aquatic recreational vehicles, snowmobiles worth more than $2,000 and lead-crystal items.

An effort led by the U.S. and China, the sanctions are the fifth round of U.N. punishments adopted by the 15-member Security Council. Past measures have been unsuccessful in incentivizing the unpredictable regime to give up its nuclear ambitions. President Barack Obama also signed new U.S. sanctions against North Korea into law last month.

A North Korean news agency said Monday that the financial punishments were "a wanton infringement on [North Korea's] sovereignty and grave challenge to it."



Pyongyang in January launched what it said was a hydrogen bomb – although nuclear experts say the explosion was more in line with a an atomic weapon – and last month launched a satellite using ballistic missile technology. These tests come in addition to three previous nuclear tests by the North Korean regime in violation of international law.

China has long been hesitant to support new measures further squeezing Pyongyang, as it fears destabilization in its neighbor as a security threat. If sanctions deepen the humanitarian crisis inside North Korea, Beijing fears refugees would flock across the border to China.

The Chinese representative to the U.N. said following the resolution's adoption that "all parties concerned should avoid actions that would further aggravate tensions on the ground."