UN Security Council Votes to Tighten North Korea Sanctions after Sixth Nuclear Test

On December 22, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to tighten economic sanctions on North Korea in response to its sixth nuclear test on November 29th, which involved the launching of a missile that the regime warns could reach the United States. This is the Council’s tenth attempt to exert enough pressure on Kim Jong-Un that he will halt the nuclear weapons program and come to the table for negotiations. According to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in order for talks to begin North Korea must show “a sustained cessation" of its aggressive behavior, while Pyongyang vows that it will not consider joining the negotiations until the United States ends its practice of hostility towards the DPRK.