Jan 21,2022:China and Russia delayed a US bid to impose UN sanctions on five North Koreans on Thursday, diplomats said, as Pyongyang suggested it may resume tests of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.
The move by China and Russia came ahead of a closed-door UN Security Council meeting on North Korea later on Thursday – the second in two weeks – after Pyongyang fired tactical guided missiles on Monday.
The test on Monday was North Korea’s fourth in 2022, with two previous launches involving “hypersonic missiles” capable of high speed and manoeuvring after lift-off, and another test using a pair of short-range missiles fired from train cars.
The United States last week imposed unilateral sanctions over the missile launches. It blacklisted six North Koreans, one Russian and a Russian firm, accusing them of procuring goods for the programmes from Russia and China.
It then proposed five of those individuals also be subjected to a UN travel ban and asset freeze. The request had to be agreed by consensus by the Security Council’s 15-member North Korea sanctions committee.
