North Defiant Despite UN Sanctions

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution that condemns North Korea’s nuclear test and imposed sanctions on the North on October 14 local time (October 15 in Korea.)

UNSC resolution-

The resolution clears the way for the toughest sanctions against North Korea since the end of the Korean War. The UNSC agreed to drop explicit references to Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter that authorizes the possible use of military power to enforce sanctions and just refers to Article 41 of Chapter 7, which authorizes non-military sanctions.

The North defies and the U.S. and Japan takes further steps-

North Korean ambassador to the U.N. Pak Gil Yon said right after the adoption of the resolution, “We totally reject the resolution. If the U.S. intensifies pressure, the DPRK would consider it a declaration of war and take critical countermeasures.”

The Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party decided to legislate a law that enables Japan to inspect North Korean ships or to help the U.S. inspection. The law is expected to include a preemptive use of arms clause that allows the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force to fire warning shots in the inspection process.

The U.S. verifies North’s Nuclear Test-

The U.S. detected radioactive particles in Punggye-ri, Hamgyong province, believed to be the test site. The U.S. press reported on October 13 that a specialized aircraft WC-135 detected radioactive particles expected from a nuclear detonation in the North Korean air in Punggye-ri, Hamgyong province on October 11, two days after the announcement of a nuclear test.