US Proposes UN Security Council Sanctions on North Korean Missiles... China and Russia's Approval Is Key

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] As the United States pushes for additional sanctions at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) level in response to North Korea's successive ballistic missile launches, the key factor will ultimately be whether China and Russia agree. It is known that the U.S. prefers sanctions that add individuals and entities related to North Korea to the UNSC sanctions list rather than a new Security Council resolution.

According to the Associated Press and others on the 12th (local time), Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, stated that she requested additional sanctions from the Security Council regarding North Korea's recent missile launches.

In a post on her Twitter account that day, she pointed out, "North Korea has launched six ballistic missiles since September 2021, each of which violates UN Security Council resolutions," and proposed corresponding UN sanctions. She added, "This is in addition to what the State Department and Treasury Department designated today (as targets for sanctions against North Korea)."

According to multiple diplomatic sources, the additional UNSC sanctions are likely to be pursued by adding individuals and entities that the U.S. has independently sanctioned for North Korea's development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missiles to the Security Council sanctions list.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on the same day added six North Korean nationals, one Russian individual, and one Russian entity involved in procuring missile materials for North Korea to its independent sanctions list, and some of these will also be subjected to UNSC sanctions.

A diplomatic source said, "I understand that the U.S.'s additional sanctions do not mean a new Security Council resolution."

Being listed on the UNSC sanctions list, which can be considered a kind of 'blacklist,' results in asset freezes and travel bans abroad. UN member states must expel sanctioned individuals if they remain in their territory.

If individuals designated on the U.S. independent sanctions list also receive UNSC sanctions, it could effectively hinder missile material procurement activities in countries like China and Russia, causing substantial impact.

To add new individuals or entities to the UNSC sanctions list, no additional resolution is required; a decision by the Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee suffices.

However, the committee's decision requires consensus among Security Council members, including China and Russia.

Since China and Russia, who have recently clashed with the U.S. over various international issues, may not agree, there are views that it will not be easy to finalize additional sanctions.

At recent emergency Security Council meetings held in response to North Korea's missile launches, joint responses such as press statements by council members were virtually not pursued due to the passive attitudes of China and Russia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.