By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS – According to a draft resolution that Reuters reviewed on Wednesday, the United States wants the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) to continue to sanction North Korea for its ballistic missile launch. This includes banning tobacco exports and halving oil imports from the country. Also blacklisting Lazarus hacking organization.

This week, the United States sent the draft to all 15 members of the council. However, it was unclear when or if the resolution could be put up for a vote. It takes nine “yese” votes, and the United States has to veto it.  

China and Russia already oppose the strengthening of sanctions against Pyongyang following its launch last month, which was the first intercontinental ballistic missile launched since 2017.

Sung Kim (U.S. special representative on North Korea) told reporters last week the United States and China had discussed U.N. text drafts with Russia and China but could not say that there had been any positive discussions.

South Korean analysts and U.S. officials have both stated that increasing indicators indicate that North Korea might soon develop a nuclear weapon. This would be the first test since 2017.

U.S.-drafted U.N. resolution would allow for a wider ban on missile launches, to include cruise missiles as well as “any other type of delivery system capable delivering nuclear arms.”

This would lower North Korea’s crude oil exports by half, and reduce North Korea’s exports of refined petroleum to only 2 million barrels each year. The ban would also apply to North Korean exports “mineral fuels and mineral oils, as well as products of their distillation.”

Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader is well-known for being a chain smoker. He can often be seen holding a cigarette in his hand when he takes photos in state media. The draft resolution would prohibit North Korea from exporting tobacco or manufactured tobacco.

North Korea is subject to U.N. sanctions from 2006 onwards. This has been done by the U.N. Security Council in unison over the years to try to stop funding Pyongyang for its nuclear weapons programs and ballistic missile programmes.

LAZURUS HACKERS

Although the sanctions were last tightened against Pyongyang by the council in 2017, Moscow and Beijing have demanded an increase in humanitarian relief.

Allies and the United States claim Kim is responsible for the current humanitarian crisis. They accuse him of using money that could have been used to fund missile and nuclear programs, rather than spending it on North Korean civilians.

Independent U.N. sanctions monitors reported that the hermit Asian state was able to evade some U.N. restrictions and has continued its development of programs. They also said that North Korean cyberattacks on crypto exchanges were earning Pyongyang thousands of millions.

According to the United States, the asset freeze would be imposed on Lazarus’ hacking group. The Reconnaissance General Bureau is North Korea’s principal intelligence bureau.

Lazarus has been charged with involvement in ransomware attack “WannaCry”, hacking international banks and customers accounts and 2014 cyber-attacks. Sony Pictures Entertainment.

This draft resolution also prohibits anyone “procuring and facilitating the acquisition of information technology-related services from North Korea”.

China’s U.N. representative was asked to comment on the U.S.-led push in China last week. Ambassador Zhang Jun replied: “We don’t think additional sanctions will help ease tension, it may even make things worse.”