UN Security Council votes unanimously (China included) to boost sanctions against the Stalinist regime for pursuing its rocket programme. For Pyongyang, the decision is undemocratic and unrealistic; denuclearisation will come when the whole world does it.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - North Korea reacted to a UN resolution sanctioning its latest launch of the Unha-3 rocket by pledging to pursue its rocket and nuclear programmes. For Pyongyang, the United Nations Security Council is unreasonable and undemocratic since it imposes certain things on some and not others. Hence denuclearisation cannot be discussed until the world does it.

The Security Council, the United Nations main peace and security body, voted in favour of the resolution unanimously. China, North Korea's long-time and now only ally, went along indicating that it is no longer willing to cover for the provocations by Kim Jong-un's dictatorial regime.

For the international community, the rocket launched overnight on 11-12 December was part of Pyongyang's nuclear programme and not a weather satellite.

The resolution added six new North Korean entities, including Pyongyang's space agency and a shady body, Hong Kong-based Leader International, to an already existing UN blacklist. Four North Korean officials are also placed on a travel ban.

The Council calls on North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme and stop test launches to develop long-range ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear warheads.

For Pyongyang, this will not happen. Its launch of the Unha-3 rocket was an historic event. It cost the equivalent of six months of food for 20 million North Koreans who live on less than one dollar a day.

• north
• korea
• united
• nations
• nuclear
• programme
• resolution
• rocket
• launch
• testing
• unha-3