The Difficulty of Sanctioning North Korea

As the U.N. struggles to figure out how to punish North Korea for its second nuclear test, it’s clear that past sanctions have done little to discourage Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions. On Wednesday, the U.S., China and others agreed on a draft resolution that tightens military and financial sanctions on the North but puts no damper on its lucrative trade with China.

The Washington Post:

As the United Nations moves this week to sanction North Korea for its second nuclear test, there is strong evidence that a previous international squeeze did not work.

Thanks to booming business with neighboring China, North Korea’s overseas trade has grown substantially since the sanctions imposed after the government of Kim Jong Il exploded its first nuclear device, in 2006.

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Flickr / yeowatzup

Sunrise over Pyongyang, North Korea.