United Nations Security Council Resolution 2375

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2375 was adopted on 11 September 2017. The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a new sanctions resolution against North Korea, a response to its sixth nuclear test on September 3.^[1] The resolution reduces about 30% of oil provided to North Korea by cutting off over 55% of refined petroleum products going to North Korea.^[1][2][3][4]

UN Security Council Resolution 2375
April 2018 inter-Korean summit
Date	11 September 2017
Code	S/RES/2375 (Document)
Subject	Non-proliferation: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Voting summary	15 voted for None voted against None abstained
Result	Adopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members	China  France  Russia  United Kingdom  United States
Non-permanent members	Bolivia  Egypt  Ethiopia  Italy  Japan  Kazakhstan  Senegal  Sweden  Ukraine  Uruguay
← 2374 Lists of resolutions 2376 →

Negotiations

The agreed sanctions fell significantly short of the far-reaching penalties that the Trump administration had demanded, having had to compromise with China and Russia to gain their support.^[2] Namely, the resolution only sets a cap on oil exports to N.K; the U.S. had originally wanted a complete cutoff, but China had expressed concern that such a drastic measure would lead to N.K.’s collapse.^[2] The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after the passage of the watered-down resolution, credited itself with having the strictest provisions of the U.S. original draft removed from the resolution.^[5]

Sanctions

Sanctions include the following:

• Full ban on selling natural gas condensates and liquids to N.K.^[3][2][4]
• Full ban on purchasing N.K. textiles (expected to reduce the country's revenues by $800 million).^[3][2][4]
• A quota for selling oil to N.K. (an estimated 30% reduction on current levels).^[3][2]
  • Refined petroleum: 500,000 barrels during an initial period of three months — beginning on 1 October 2017 and ending on 31 December 2017 — and exceeding 2 million barrels per year during a period of 12 months beginning on 1 January 2018 and annually thereafter.^[3][4]
  • Crude oil: Limits sales to N.K. to not exceed the amount supplied by each State in the 12-month period prior to the adoption the resolution.^[3]
• Limits visas to be provided by N.K. laborers overseas. Existing visas are allowed to continue until expired, but no new visas are allowed to be issued.^[3][2] The U.S. estimates this will "eventually deny the regime another half billion dollars each year it takes from the nearly 100,000 North Korean citizens working around the world".^[4]
• It asks all countries to inspect ships going in and out of North Korea's ports (a provision put in place by the Security Council in 2009) but does not authorize the use of force for ships that do not comply (the U.S. wanted authorization to use force and a full naval blockade).^[2][4]
  • If flag states refuse to allow inspections of suspicious vessels, then the flag state is required to redirect the vessels to a port for inspection.^[4]
  • If a flag state or vessel does not cooperate with inspections, then the vessel can be designated for an asset freeze, denied port access, de-registered, and suffer other penalties.^[4]
• A ban to joint ventures. This is aimed at further reducing foreign income, as well as technology transfers. However, there are some exemptions for some border projects that involve China and Russia.^[4]

Aftermath

After the sanctions were announced, the North Korean government stated the sanctions justified its nuclear program, and vowed to proceed with a "faster pace".^[6]

United States reconnaissance satellite imagery taken on 19 October 2017 show Chinese ships selling oil to North Korean vessels, in apparent violation of Security Resolution 2375.^[7]

On 28 December 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump accused the Chinese government of "allowing oil to go into North Korea."^[8] Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying responded to these accusations, saying, "China has always implemented U.N. Security Council resolutions pertaining to North Korea in their entirety and fulfils its international obligations. We never allow Chinese companies and citizens to violate the resolutions. If, through investigation, it's confirmed there are violations of the U.N. Security Council resolutions, China will deal with them seriously in accordance with laws and regulations."^[9]

See also

• 2017 North Korea crisis
• 2017 North Korean nuclear test
• 2017 in North Korea
• UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea
• List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2301 to 2400

References

1. "United Nations Security Council approves new North Korea sanctions". NK News. 11 September 2017. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
2. Sengupta, Somini (September 11, 2017). "After U.S. Compromise, Security Council Strengthens North Korea Sanctions". The New York Times. USA. Archived from the original on 2017-09-11. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
3. "Security Council Imposes Fresh Sanctions on Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Including Bans on Natural Gas Sales, Work Authorization for Its Nationals - Resolution 2375 (2017) Also Takes Humanitarian Situation into Account as Members Urge Resumed Talks on Denuclearizing Korean Peninsula". New York, USA: United Nations Security Council. September 11, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
4. United States Mission to the United Nations (September 11, 2017). "FACT SHEET: Resolution 2375 (2017) Strengthening Sanctions on North Korea". U.S.A.: United States Department of State. Archived from the original on 2017-09-12. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
5. В МИД прокомментировали новую резолюцию Совбеза ООН по КНДР Archived 2017-09-13 at the Wayback Machine RIA Novosti, 12 September 2017.
6. Kong, Kanga (12 September 2017). "North Korea Slams 'Evil' Sanctions, Vows Faster Nuclear Push". Bloomberg. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
7. Yong-weon, Yu; Jin-myung, Kim (26 December 2017). "Chinese Ships Spotted Selling Oil to N.Korea". The Chosunilbo. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
8. Pennington, Matthew; Lucey, Catherine (29 December 2017). "Trump says China 'caught red handed' selling oil to North Korea". PBS NewsHour. AP. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
9. Wen, Philip; Brunnstrom, David (28 December 2017). "After Trump criticism, China denies selling oil illicitly to North Kor". Reuters. Retrieved 29 December 2017.