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EU mulls further sanctions against DPRK after UN adopts new resolution

Xinhua, December 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) is mulling further restrictive measures against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to tighten sanctions on the country in response to its fifth nuclear test.

"As has been the case with past resolutions, UNSC Resolution 2321 will now be transposed without delay into European Union law," a spokesperson of the European External Action Service said in a statement late Wednesday.

"The European Union will also consider whether further additional autonomous restrictive measures are called for," the spokesperson added.

Slamming the DPRK's two nuclear tests this year as action that serves no purpose other than to increase tensions in the region and to threaten international peace and security, the spokesperson said: "The unanimous adoption of the resolution is a clear reflection that such actions will not be tolerated."

In the new resolution, the 15-nation council decided that the DPRK shall not supply, sell or transfer coal, iron and iron ore from its territory, but excluded transactions for livelihood purposes.

The council sets an upper limit on the DPRK's coal exporting of 400.9 million U.S. dollars or 7.5 million metric tons per year, whichever is lower, starting on Jan. 1, 2017.

In addition, the Security Council bans the sale of copper, nickel, silver, zinc and statues from the DPRK, according to the resolution.

On Sept. 9, the DPRK conducted a nuclear warhead explosion test. It was Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test.

China on Tuesday voiced its firm opposition to the Sept. 9 nuclear test by the DPRK, and called for an early resumption of the six-party talks in order to solve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through political and peaceful means.

Liu Jieyi, the Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks as he was taking the floor at the UN Security Council after the UN body unanimously adopted the resolution.

"The top priority at hand is for the parties concerned to resume dialogue and negotiations at an early date and re-launch the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible so as to work together in a genuine effort to safeguard the denuclearization process and realize peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," he said. Endi