UN sanctions not intended to affect DPRK people's livelihood

UNITED NATIONS - The fresh UN sanctions adopted Wednesday on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), though widely believed to be tougher than ever, are not intended to affect DPRK people's livelihood as the document contains language allowing for humanitarian exemptions.

The 15-nation Council unanimously adopted a resolution that approved a set of harsh sanctions in response to the DPRK's latest nuclear test and satellite launch.

The resolution broadens the scope of the financial sanctions and the scope of the arms embargo. It also includes a ban on all exports from the DPRK of coal, iron, iron ore, gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore and rare earth metals, and a prohibition on the supply to the DPRK of all types of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel.

The document underlines that measures imposed by relevant Security Council resolutions "are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population of the DPRK," or to affect negatively the work of relevant organizations that carry out assistance and relief activities in the country.

Throughout the document, it contains measures aimed at limiting negative humanitarian consequences by including exemptions for livelihood or medical purposes in the written sanction measures.

To illustrate, the resolution requires that all states shall inspect on their territory all cargo going to or coming from the DPRK via land, sea or air. Meanwhile, it calls upon states to carry out inspections in a way that minimizes impact on the transfer of humanitarian relief cargo.

On banning all exports from the DPRK of coal, iron and iron ore, the resolution said this provision shall not apply with respect to transactions that are determined to be exclusively for livelihood purposes and unrelated to generating revenue for the DPRK's nuclear or ballistic missile programs.

Besides, the Council decided that states shall take measures to close representative offices, subsidiaries, or banking accounts of financial institutions if their financial services could contribute to the DPRK's nuclear or ballistic missile programs.