The United Nations Security Council votes today (26th) on a proposal for additional sanctions against North Korea prepared by the United States.
However, the possibility is raised that China and Russia, which are permanent members, will exercise their veto power to block adoption.
The Associated Press reported that the United States, the chair of the Security Council, announced plans to vote on a resolution on additional sanctions against North Korea today.
AFP news agency, citing two unnamed diplomatic officials, said that the United States will hold a vote late on the afternoon of the 26th local time.
Earlier, the United States prepared a new resolution to reduce North Korea's crude oil imports from 4 million barrels to 3 million barrels after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on March 24 and has been discussing it with members of the Security Council.
The resolution is said to include reducing North Korea's refined oil imports from 500,000 barrels to 375,000 barrels and imposing sanctions on the international community's exports of mineral fuels and watches.
It is reported that the new resolution also contains provisions to block the export of tobacco leaves and tobacco products to North Korea as if aimed at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a smoker.
In addition, measures to blacklist Lazarus, a hacking group known to be linked with the North Korean Reconnaissance General Administration, and freeze their assets were also included in the sanctions.
A U.S. government official mentioned that sanctions on the supply of oil to North Korea should be automatically discussed when North Korea launches an ICBM according to the “oil trigger” clause specified in Security Council Resolution 2397 on North Korea, which was unanimously adopted in 2017. It's time to take this action," he said.
The Security Council's policy to vote on additional sanctions against North Korea was unveiled the day after North Korea fired three ballistic missiles, including an ICBM, yesterday morning when US President Joe Biden returned from a trip to Korea and Japan.
The vote on the resolution, led by the United States, comes shortly before the tenure of US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, as chairman of the Security Council.
A U.S. government official declined to comment on the possibility of Russia and China exercising their veto, saying the resolution would gain strong support because North Korea's ICBM launch is an issue of great importance to us and to our allies Japan and South Korea. only answered.
UN diplomats say Russia and China are likely to veto the deal, AFP reported.
China has taken a negative stance on the U.S. resolution of additional sanctions on North Korea.
"The resolution of additional sanctions on North Korea proposed by the United States will not solve any problems," China's UN representative said in a statement yesterday.
The Chinese delegation also expressed a negative stance on the sanctions, saying the US "knows the best way to ease tensions with North Korea, but is refusing to do so."
In order to adopt a resolution, at least nine of the 15 members of the Security Council must support it, and not one of its five permanent members must veto it.