Trump: North Korea's Minor Sanctions Are Not Comparable to What Is to Come

The President of the United States stated that the new sanctions against North Korea, approved by the United Nations Security Council, are merely a small step and "not comparable to what is ultimately going to happen." The Security Council unanimously intensified sanctions against North Korea on Monday, which includes a complete ban on the export of textiles from the country and a reduction in crude oil exports to it. According to Reuters, Donald Trump responded to these sanctions on Tuesday, September 12, saying to reporters, "In our view, this is just a small step, not a big development. I don't know if these sanctions will be effective or not, but it is certainly pleasant that 15 countries voted in favor of it." He emphasized, "But these sanctions are not comparable to what is going to happen." The U.S. President did not provide further details on this matter. Mr. Trump made these remarks after a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, adding that he is pleased that Malaysia has no trade relations with North Korea anymore. The decision made by the Security Council on Monday was in response to North Korea's sixth and largest nuclear test conducted in September, marking the ninth resolution by this UN body against North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear program since 2006. Steven Mnuchin, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, stated earlier on Tuesday that if China does not enforce the new sanctions against North Korea, "we will impose more sanctions on this country and cut them off from access to the U.S. dollar and the international system." Washington has so far largely refrained from imposing sanctions on banks and companies in China that deal with North Korea. Han Tae-song, North Korea's ambassador, stated at a UN-supported disarmament conference held in Geneva on Tuesday that the United States has "ignited the fire of political, economic, and military war." The Security Council's resolution also called on countries worldwide to inspect ships suspected of carrying prohibited cargo to North Korea. This resolution also prohibits any joint investment with North Korean institutions except for non-profit cases. The new sanctions are expected to prevent North Korea from accessing an annual income of $800 million from textile sales and $500 million from its workers abroad.