U.S. seeks UN sanctions on DPRK

The United States is seeking to impose sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) through the UN Security Council and the sanctions will focus on the DPRK's weapon programs, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing on Tuesday.

The sanctions will focus primarily on "not allowing the North Korean government in any way to further develop its WMD or missile technology programs or in any way to benefit from those programs in the sense that it would export know-how, technology or material, " McCormack said.

The United States will also seek to impose a variety of other sanctions to restrict non-humanitarian imports into the DPRK, McCormack said.

Moreover, the United States will also take steps "that would prevent any sort of illicit activity -- counterfeiting money, money laundering or trade or facilitation of trade and narcotics," McCormack added.

The DPRK claimed Sunday night that it had successfully set off its first nuclear test. The Bush administration has since sought immediate action from the UN Security Council.

Source: Xinhua