The United States, South Korea and China have welcomed tough new UN sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday praised the approval of new UN sanctions agreed a day earlier, calling the move a “very good outcome…
The United States, South Korea and China have welcomed tough new UN sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday praised the approval of new UN sanctions agreed a day earlier, calling the move a “very good outcome.”
The Security Council unanimously adopted the US-led resolution, which bans mineral and seafood exports worth more than $1bn after the North tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) last month.
South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha echoed Tillerson’s praise for the approved sanctions, saying it was a “very, very good outcome”.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the sanctions were the right response, but repeated a call for dialogue.
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The diplomats are meeting in Manila, the Philippine capital, a s foreign ministers from across Asia gathered Sunday for a regional ASEAN summit.
Tillerson said he and his South Korean counterpart plan to discuss the sanctions during their meeting, along with next steps to pressure the North.
Washington wants eventually to talk to North Korea, Tillerson has said, but thinks such discussions would be futile if Pyongyang intends on maintaining its nuclear weapons.
The US secretary of state is also due to meet with diplomats from China and other countries central to the North Korea debate.
