China and Russia block additional sanctions against North Korea in Security Council

China and Russia vetoed the US proposal for new sanctions against North Korea at the UN Security Council. Thirteen other councilors voted in favor of the US proposal. For the first time since 2006, the council failed to agree on sanctions against North Korea.

The US is demanding additional sanctions over North Korea’s missile program and nuclear tests. The US proposal imposes restrictions on the export of oil and tobacco to and from North Korea. North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is known for smoking a lot. Sanctions will also be imposed on the hacker group Lazarus, which Washington says has ties to the Pyongyang regime.

“A disappointing day”

The vote comes more than a day after North Korea fired three missiles, hours after US President Biden left Asia. A missile would be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). North Korea has fired 17 missiles this year. US Ambassador to the United Nations Thomas-Greenfield said it was a “disappointing day” for the Security Council.

“There is a clear danger from North Korea to the whole world,” he said. “Restriction and silence have not removed or even reduced the threat.” The Security Council has consistently imposed unanimous sanctions on North Korea for the past 16 years, the latest being in 2017. However, the attitude of China and Russia has changed since then.

China, Russia: Sanctions are useless

According to the Chinese and Russians, sanctions do not help. Russia speaks of a ‘stalemate’ and, according to China, punitive measures will only escalate tensions. According to the UN ambassador to China, the situation did not improve because of the “political tension” of the Americans.

China wants Washington to continue talks with North Korea and lift sanctions, but the United States believes Pyongyang should not be rewarded for its behavior. Talks between the two parties have stalled since 2019 after three summits between dictator Kim and then-President Trump.