UN Security Council Tightens North Korea Sanctions

North Korea on Thursday threatened a “preemptive nuclear attack” against the United States just prior to the UN Security Council unanimously approving a resolution tightening sanctions against the communist nation in response to its nuclear test last month. China and the United States worked together to draft the resolution, reported the Associated Press (via Yahoo News). The measure targets North Korea’s trade and banking, as well as travel by certain officials, states a UN release. The resolution also demands that North Korea retract its announcement that it would withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and “abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs,” states the release. “The Security Council has sent an unequivocal message to [North Korea] that the international community will not tolerate its pursuit of nuclear weapons and related acts,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Adoption of the resolution itself is not enough,” said China’s UN Ambassador Li Baodong, according to AP. “We want to see full implementation of the resolution.” President Obama last month said in his State of the Union speech the United States would strengthen its missile defenses and “lead the world in taking firm action” in response to North Korea’s provocations.