U.S. considers tougher sanctions on North Korea

Washington warns  another provocation by North Korea  would be disastrous


The U.S. government said it is reviewing ways to toughen bilateral sanctions against North Korea for its recent rocket launch separately from the U.N. Security Council.

“We’re always looking at ways to strengthen our sanctions regime, whether it’s bilateral or multilateral through the U.N., especially in light of North Korea’s actions,” U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Mark C. Toner told reporters in Washington.

His comments came after the U.N. Security Council on Monday condemned the North’s launch. The presidential statement, signed by all 15 members of the Security Council, stated that the Sanctions Committee would expand the list of North Korean entities subject to asset freezes and identify more proliferation-sensitive technology to be banned for transfer in and out of the reclusive state.

Toner also said that the North’s ignoring of existing U.N. resolutions would close the door on further talks.

“As long as they continue to do so, the door for further engagement will remain shut and they’ll remain under sanctions. And it’s clearly not in their interest,” he said.

Analysts raise concerns that satellite imagery and the communist regime’s previous patterns of behavior ― with missile tests followed by bomb tests ― suggest a third nuclear test could be imminent.

Pyongyang launched missiles in 2006 and 2009, both of which were followed by a nuclear test.

Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., warned that another provocation by the North would be “disastrous.”

“Clearly, the potential for that pattern to persist is one that all members of the international community are mindful of and think would be a disastrous course for the North to pursue,” Rice said.

“It will only lead to the North’s increased isolation.”

A senior South Korean foreign ministry official said it is difficult to say whether the North’s third nuclear test is “imminent.”

“While some say the rocket launch failure will make the North conduct a nuclear test, others say it may delay it to ensure its success. There is no ‘imminent’ move detected for right now,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“In the past, North Korea used to always be prepared.”

Yun Duk-min, professor at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, said the U.S. is likely to apply new financial sanctions against the communist state.

“For now, the U.S. will find it difficult to engage with the North, even though Pyongyang will claim that the rocket launch was for a satellite. It seems that additional financial sanctions will be most effective,” Yun told The Korea Herald.

Additional sanctions could be similar to those the U.S. imposed on Banko Delta Asia, a Macau-based bank, in 2007. The bank was accused of laundering money for North Korea.

“The U.N. sanctions sound quite loud but they are barely effective. What really matters is bilateral sanctions by individual member countries,” Yun said.

He said it is hard to predict how China will act toward the North after the announcement of the U.N. Security Council’s presidential statement but its role will be significant in pressuring Pyongyang not to conduct further provocations.

“To date, China has not implemented any sanction against North Korea. But it remains to be seen how it will act this time,” he said.

A defiant North Korea went ahead with the launch of a long-range rocket early Friday morning, despite repeated warnings from the international community.

The South Korean government said the rocket exploded into about 20 pieces over the West Sea between one and two minutes after takeoff.

The U.N. Security Council’s presidential statement, announced on Monday just three days after convening Friday, contained stronger wording than the 2009 presidential statement. The terms changed from “condemn” to “strongly condemn,” and from “contravention” of U.N. resolutions to “serious violation” of them.

The latest statement also added that the Security Council will “take action accordingly in the event of a further DPRK launch or nuclear test,” directly threatening the North.

The South Korean government immediately welcomed the swift and unanimous adoption of the Security Council’s presidential statement.

“The ROK government notes with appreciation that the Security Council demands that North Korea immediately comply fully with its obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions, including that it abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Cho Byung-jae said in a statement.

“The ROK government further welcomes the call of the Council for improved enforcement of existing sanctions on North Korea under the relevant resolutions, as well as its determination to take additional action in the event of a further launch or nuclear test by North Korea.”

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)