United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874 was adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council on 12 June 2009.Security Council imposes tougher sanctions on DPR Korea. UN News Centre. June 12, 2009. The resolution, passed under Chapter VII, Article 41, of the UN Charter, imposes further economic and commercial sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (the DPRK, or North Korea) and encourages UN member states to search North Korean cargo, in the aftermath of an underground nuclear test conducted on 25 May 2009.
Provisions The provisions of the resolution include: Authorizing member states to inspect, "in accordance with their national authorities and legislation, and consistent with international law", North Korean cargo on land, sea, and air, and to destroy any goods suspected of being connected to the DPRK's nuclear programme. Requiring the North Korean government to return immediately to the six-party talks and renounce its announcement of withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Preventing financial services that could contribute to the nuclear or ballistic missile related programmes.Key excerpts from U. N. North Korea resolution. Reuters. June 12, 2009. Instructing member states not to provide financial assistance to the DPRK nuclear programme, or enter into loans with the country, except for humanitarian or developmental reasons. Extending the arms embargo on North Korea by banning all weapons exports from the country and most imports, with an exception to small arms, light weapons and related material – though member states must notify the Security Council five days prior to selling the weapons.North Korea resolution: key points. The Daily Telegraph. June 12, 2009. Demanding that North Korea halt its nuclear weapons program and conduct no further nuclear or missile tests. Asking member states to notify the Council of steps they are taking to implement the sanctions within 45 days.UN Security Council adopts resolution expanding sanctions on DPRK . Xinhua. June 13, 2009. Affirming the Security Council's commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to the situation. Creating the Panel of Experts as a research and advisory body to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea (subject to annual renewal).
Adoption Adopting the resolution unanimously, the Council condemned the nuclear test which was in "violation and flagrant disregard" of previous Council resolutions 1695 and 1718. The resolution is now binding under international law.UN toughens North Korea sanctions. BBC News Online. June 12, 2009
Security Council permanent members : Ambassador Zhang Yesui said China voted in favor of the resolution as actions by North Korea were in "disregard for the international community’s common objective". However, he stressed that the diplomatic means should be employed rather than merely imposing sanctions, and the resolution should not "adversely impact the country’s development, or humanitarian assistance to it".Text of resolution, UN Press Centre He also urged against the use of force when inspecting North Korean cargo.Charbonneau, Louis; Parsons, Claudia (June 12, 2009). U.N. council expands sanctions against North Korea. Reuters. : Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert remarked that the DPRK had been "engaged in a secret nuclear programme" which increased its threat. He said that the country had increased tensions in the region by firing missiles and the Security Council had responded to that by imposing tough sanctions on the regime, though he mentioned that the Council was concerned about the population. : Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin said the measures adopted were "substantive and targeted in nature", and "clearly tied to ending the DPRK programme to create nuclear missiles".Varner, Bill; Green, Peter S. (June 12, 2009). UN Votes to Punish North Korea for Nuclear Test. Bloomberg. He insisted the sanctions did not target the North Korean people, which was a key issue with his delegation. He also insisted that any sanctions be lifted once North Korea cooperates. : Deputy Ambassador Philip Parham said the adoption of the resolution shows that "the international community is united in condemning North Korea's proliferation activities".Aziakou, Gerard (June 12, 2009). Security Council adopts tougher NKorea sanctions. Agence France-Presse. : Envoy Rosemary DiCarlo said that the resolution created "markedly stronger sanctions" against Pyongyang to persuade it to abandon its nuclear weapons program. This was followed by U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice who claimed the resolution was "unprecedented" and has "teeth that will bite".U.S. envoy Rice praises U.N. resolution on North Korea. Reuters. June 12, 2009 The resolution was a "strong and united international response" to the testing of the nuclear device.
Security Council elected members : Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting said the resolution was a "clear, appropriate and unequivocal" response to North Korea's actions. He called for the country to rejoin the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). : Deputy Representative Paul Robert Tiendrébéogo supported the resolution emphasising his country's aspiration for a nuclear-free world and the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. He called on North Korea to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, six-party talks and other institutions stressing that the country should "choose dialogue". : Ambassador Ranko Vilović mentioned that the sanctions were not targeted towards the North Korean population, but called on North Korea to accede to the CTBT and six-party talks. : Permanent Representative Jorge Urbina echoed the views of the rest of the Council, and urged the country to return to international systems of dialogue. : Permanent Representative Yukio Takasu welcomed the resolution, describing the DPRK's actions as an "irresponsible act" which constituted a threat to his country. He hoped the resolution adopted would change the actions of North Korea. The Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso also urged North Korea to take the resolution "seriously".Japanese PM urges DPRK to take UN resolution "seriously", Xinhua News Agency. June 13, 2009 : Permanent Representative Abdurrahman Mohamed Shalgham said the world would not enjoy security until all nuclear weapons were eliminated. He said the international community had failed to reward Libya for ceasing its nuclear programme and hoped similar sanctions would be applied to Israel. Shalgham also said that while his country did not normally support sanctions which harm the population, in this case this was the best way forward to bring about a solution to the situation. : Ambassador Claude Heller said the resolution was a "clear message" that North Korea's actions were unacceptable to the international community. He remarked that recent actions by the DPRK were in violation of Security Council resolutions which undermined aspirations for a nuclear-free world and urged North Korea to "completely and permanently" cease further nuclear tests. : Speaking in his national capacity, the current Council President Baki İlkin said recent actions by North Korea undermined stability, mutual trust and confidence in the region, which the Turkish government strongly condemned. He urged the country to rejoin the six-party talks, seeing them as the best way forward to ensure denuclearization on the Korean peninsula. : Permanent Representative Ruhakana Rugunda echoed the sentiment of the Council, as it was "important to achieve non-proliferation on the Korean peninsula". : Representative Le Luong Minh supported the consensus of the Council, emphasising his country's commitment to non-proliferation but remarked that the sanctions should not adversely affect the population of North Korea.
Other UN members : South Korea was invited to participate during the session. Representative Park In-kook said the nuclear test violated Council resolutions and "defied warnings from the international community" which threatened peace and stability in the region, thus all member states should ensure they implement the sanctions fully. He said the South Korean government strongly urged the North to rejoin the six-party talks and to abandon its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.
North Korean reaction An official newspaper said that the country would consider any new sanctions imposed as a "declaration of war".Foster, Peter (June 12, 2009). US fears third nuclear test in North Korea. The Daily Telegraph. In response, a statement from the Foreign Ministry, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), said that the country would "weaponize all plutonium" and had reprocessed more than "one-third of our spent nuclear fuel rods".North Korea in plutonium threat. BBC News Online. June 13, 2009N Korea defiant after new sanctions. Al Jazeera. June 13, 2009 It also announced it would start uranium enrichment. The statement considered any attempt at a blockade as an "act of war that will be met with a decisive military response", and would "counter 'sanctions' with retaliation and 'confrontation' with all-out confrontation", accusing the resolution of being a product of a U.S.-led offensive against the country.N. Korea to push ahead with uranium enrichment over U.N. sanctions. Yonhap. June 13, 2009Jee-ho, Yo (June 15, 2009). UN action spurs more Pyongyang nuclear threats. JoongAng Daily. The North Korean Foreign Ministry statement on KCNA continues:
A commentary in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper alleged the United States had 1,000 nuclear weapons in South Korea ready to strike North Korea, with the Tongbil Sinmun warning that nuclear war could break out on the Korean peninsula.Moore, Malcolm (June 14, 2009). North Korea claims US could provoke nuclear war. The Daily Telegraph. A U.S. military spokesman described the allegations as "baseless", adding that the weapons were removed under a 1991 treaty.
On June 15, the North Korean government organized a "mammoth" 100,000-strong protest in Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung Square against Resolution 1874. Secretary of the Central Committee Workers' Party of Korea Kim Ki Nam blamed the United States for pushing through the sanctions, adding that they would not weaken the DPRK.N.Koreans rally against UN, The Straits Times. June 16, 2009Mammoth Pyongyang Rally Denounces UNSC "Resolution" . KCNA. June 15, 2009
Enforcement Economic and commercial sanctions The South Korean-based Hyundai Economic Research Institute estimated that if the sanctions are enforced by all UN member states, North Korea could lose between US$1.5–3.7 billion,N. Korea to Face Huge Losses from U. N. Sanctions: Report. Yonhap. June 16, 2009. whereas other estimates suggest US$4 billion.Deok-min, Yun (June 16, 2009). China’s Nuclear Headache. JoongAng Daily. However, a Congressional Research Service report for the United States Congress notes that this is only possible if the sanctions are applied forcefully.Nikitin, Mary Beth; Manyin, Mark E.; Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Nanto, Dick K.; Niksch, Larry A. (July 23, 2009). North Korea’s Second Nuclear Test: Implications of U. N. Security Council Resolution 1874. Congressional Research Service. The United States is targeting access by North Korea to foreign banks used by its trading companies."Background Briefing on North Korea." U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs. July 15, 2009. On 16 July 2009, a UN sanctions committee designated for sanctions three North Korean trading companies, an Iran-based company and North Korea's General Bureau of Atomic Energy."U. N. Expands Sanctions Imposed on North Korea." Wall Street Journal Asia. July 17, 2009, p. 13.