“The resolutions are to impose and strengthen sanctions on North Korea for continuing to develop its nuclear weapons program and call on Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear program “in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner” and refrain from ballistic missile tests”, UNSC stated in the resolution.
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The report comes months after North Korea carried out its fourth nuclear test, which it claimed was a hydrogen bomb.
The ongoing joint exercises have been larger than usual and included a special operation to “decapitate” the North Korean leadership in the event of a full-scale conflict.
China says it will make exceptions to the sanctions if materials are intended for civilian use, and not connected to the North’s nuclear or missile programs.
After the North’s recent claims, the South Korean Defense Ministry issued a statement on March 9 saying it did not believe the North had achieved the miniaturization of a nuclear warhead.
Satellite imagery analysis by another US think tank in January suggested the reactor was still not operating at full capacity.
Last month, the Security Council responded by approving sanctions including inspections of cargo bound to and from North Korea.
Kim said China will submit a report about its implementation of the new sanctions on North Korea within 90 days of the sanctions being adopted. Chinese diplomats have said the potential humanitarian impact of sanctions had to be considered.
“We believe they have accomplished miniaturisation of a nuclear warhead to mount it on a Rodong missile”, the South Korean official, with knowledge of South Korea’s assessment of the North’s nuclear programme, told a small group of reporters on condition of anonymity.
North Korea’s latest appeal for dialogue was snubbed by Seoul Tuesday, with Pyongyang also continuing to release aggressive threats aimed at South Korea. “Although both states have been more restrained in this a year ago in terms of cyber activity directed against us, they remain quite active and are steadily improving their capabilities”, Adm. Michael S. Rogers said, according to Yonhap.
The 88-second video shows North Korea launching rockets from mobile launchers, ending by destroying the governmental buildings in the south in a ball of fire and flames.
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The CRS report, meanwhile, said that USA officials are also concerned about the “possibility that a small-scale North Korean provocation against South Korea is more likely to escalate than it was previously, due in part to South Korea’s stated intention to respond more forcefully to an attack”.
