UNSC moving to sanction NK

By Chung Min-uck

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is “close” to issuing sanctions to punish North Korea for its latest rocket launch, a foreign ministry official said, Friday.

“Consultations on drawing-up sanctions on North Korea have made significant progress,” said a foreign ministry official on condition of anonymity. “The talks are almost at an end.”

The official, however, didn’t pin down the exact timing and details of the sanctions.

The move comes after Pyongyang fired a long-range rocket in mid-December.

Pyongyang is banned from using ballistic missile technology and has had various financial and trade sanctions imposed on it due to past missile and nuclear tests.

Pyongyang carried out nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, which came immediately after rocket launches.

Following the latest launch, the UNSC has been again working to issue additional sanctions against the North.

Seoul, Washington and Tokyo have been pressing for tough U.N. measures in the form of a new resolution.

Beijing, a close ally to Pyongyang, however, has been uncooperative.

A UNSC resolution can order new sanctions to be imposed but may only be adopted if all five veto-wielding permanent UNSC members, including China, accept it.

China has lately become relatively more active than before which makes it easier for the UNSC members to finalize the issue, according to diplomatic sources.

Reportedly, the council is expected to announce a measure against North Korea as early as this weekend. Sources say the U.S. and China are currently consulting on the level of UNSC sanctions to be imposed.

During a previous launch in April, the council adopted a non-binding presidential statement instead of a resolution due to a threatened veto from Beijing.

Sources say a statement from the chairman is more likely than a new resolution this time too.

“We're actively engaged in diplomacy and we recognize how important the outcome is and we anticipate formal steps in the Security Council in the immediate future,” Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State, told reporters during his latest trip to Seoul.

Cho Tai-young, spokesman for South Korea's foreign ministry, also said South Korea, which began its two-year term as a nonpermanent member of the council this month, is working to "make this utmost achievement possible.”