U.S. Announces New Sanctions Against North Korea

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REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak

On a visit to South Korea on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced fresh sanctions against North Korea.

These sanctions are said to target the transaction of arms and luxury goods through Pyongyang. They’re designed in response to an international inquiry that blamed North Korean forces for sinking a South Korean warship this past March. Pyongyang denies these allegations.

At a press conference hosted in Seoul, Clinton said these sanctions will better position Washington to “prevent North Korea’s proliferation, to halt their illicit activities that help fund their weapons programs, and to discourage further provocative measures.”  She also announced that these measures are not intended to target the people of North Korea, but the “misguided and malign priorities of their government”.

China, traditionally North Korea’s strongest international ally, is said to have expressed “deep concern” for the program. (via BBC)