Understanding North Korea sanctions: U.N. Security Council Resolutions

Introduction

Background

U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions: 1695 | 1718 | 1874 | 2087 | 2094 | 2270 | 2321  Broadly summarized, the resolutions —

  • require North Korea to cease all activity related to the development of ballistic missiles, or its nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons programs, and to completely dismantle those programs;
  • prohibit the transfer of goods or technology to or from North Korea that are related to, or could contribute to, North Korea’s WMD programs;
  • prohibit scientific cooperation with, or the provision of training to, North Korean nationals in a broad range of fields that may relate to WMD and military uses;
  • prohibit the transfer of weapons to or by North Korea, and the transfer to North Korea of items (trucks, helicopters, vessels) that may have dual-use applications;
  • require the inspection of all cargo entering, leaving, or transiting through North Korea, including personal baggage and checked luggage;
  • prohibit the transfer of luxury goods to North Korea;
  • restrict North Korean shipping and financial transactions to prevent further violations of U.N. sanctions;
  • prohibit member states from reflagging, insuring, or crewing North Korean ships, or leasing or chartering ships to North Korea unless approved by a U.N. sanctions committee;
  • ban the export by the Government of North Korea of coal, iron, or iron ore, except for “livelihood purposes; define “livelihood” exports of coal as limited to $400 million or 7.5 million metric tons per year, except that payments to entities associated with North Korea’s WMD programs are prohibited entirely;
  • prohibit the sale or transfer by the Government of North Korea of gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore, rare earth minerals, copper, nickel, silver, and zinc;
  • ban the export of statues by North Korea;
  • require member states to expel persons involved in violating U.N. sanctions against North Korea and persons working for or on behalf of North Korean financial institutions;
  • require member states to freeze any funds or property, including ships, that are controlled by U.N.-designated persons, or that are used to facilitate violations of the sanctions;
  • prohibit the transfer of any funds that could contribute to North Korea’s WMD programs or to or from any person designated by the U.N. sanctions committee;
  • limit North Korean diplomatic and consular facilities and personnel to one bank account each;
  • require member states to ban correspondent relationships between their banks and North Korean banks;
  • require the closure of all foreign subsidiaries, representative offices, and bank accounts in North Korea;
  • prohibit public or private support for trade with North Korea, including guarantees, insurance, and export credits;
  • prohibit the transfer to North Korea of rocket, aviation, or jet fuel; and
  • “express concern” about Pyongyang’s labor exports, “the grave hardship that the people in the DPRK are subjected to,” and Pyongyang’s pursuit of “nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles instead of the welfare of its people while people in the DPRK have great unmet needs;”
  • establish a Panel of Experts to investigate potential violations of, and implementation of, U.N. sanctions. (See U.N. POE reports from 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016.)

U.S. sanctions laws

U.S. sanctions Executive Orders

U.S. sanctions regulations & general licenses

Other significant U.S. statutes

Third-country sanctions authorities