US asks UN Security Council to set North Korea vote Tuesday

The draft text would require countries to take the unprecedented step of inspecting all cargo to and from North Korea, impose new trade restrictions and bar North Korean vessels suspected of carrying illegal goods from ports.

Park also said that she feels the strong need for a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula in order to end the North’s continued nuclear advancement, calling on South Korean politicians to halt political strife and make legislative efforts to protect the people from terrorism threats and North Korea.

Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel, during a visit to Seoul on Friday, said that if North Korea complies with United Nations Security Council resolutions and previous denuclearization pledges, this could “open the door” to progress on a broader range of issues, which could include discussions of a peace agreement.

“We shall no longer participate in global sessions singling out the human rights situation of the DPRK for mere political attack”, the minister said, using an abbreviation for the country’s formal name.

The commission urged the Security Council to refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court over its human rights record.

The South has released numerous statements condemning Pyongyang’s weapon ambitions – the North is expected to be hit by strengthened United Nations (UN) Security Council sanctions this week for defying the global community this year with both a rocket launch and a fourth ever nuclear test.

The proposed sanctions would also limit and in some cases ban exports of coal, iron, gold, titanium and rare earth minerals from North Korea and would prohibit countries from supplying aviation fuel, including rocket fuel, to the country. It was condemned by much of the world as a test of banned missile technology.

Seoul is moving to allow the United States military to position a THAAD missile unit on South Korean soil as part of a broader effort to counter Pyongyang’s growing nuclear and long-range missile capabilities.

Although there are actually none permanently deployed in the South, the allies have demonstrated US force with nuclear-capable B-52 and F-22 flyovers during the last few weeks.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong charged that the rights council was plagued by “politicization, selectivity and double standards”.