U.S. Senate Unanimously Votes to Intensify Sanctions on North Korea

Following the reactivation of a plutonium-producing nuclear reactor and a long-range missile test in North Korea, the U.S. Senate unanimously voted to intensify sanctions against the country. The U.S. had previously imposed sanctions on North Korea due to its nuclear program, human rights violations, and its malicious activities in cyberspace. According to Reuters, the proposal to intensify sanctions was approved in a Senate session on Wednesday, February 10, with 96 votes in favor and no opposing votes. Senators stated that by passing this proposal unanimously, they wanted to demonstrate their resolve not only to North Korea but also to the United Nations and governments, especially China, a long-time supporter of Pyongyang and its main trading partner. The new Senate resolution intensifies measures such as blocking assets, visa denial, and refraining from signing government contracts with individuals linked to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and human rights violations. The Senate proposal was in response to a long-range missile launch on Sunday in North Korea and the reactivation of another nuclear reactor in the country. The House of Representatives also passed a similar proposal last month, and differences between the two proposals are expected to be resolved quickly. According to Democratic senators, it is not expected that Barack Obama will oppose the congressional resolution. North Korea claimed that the reason for the long-range missile launch was to place a satellite into Earth's orbit, but the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and some other countries say that Pyongyang's true intention was to test an intercontinental missile, which, like last month's nuclear test, violates UN resolutions. The UN Security Council has also condemned the missile launch. On January 5 of this year, North Korea announced that it had successfully tested its first 'hydrogen bomb,' although many analysts have expressed doubts about the validity of this claim. James Clapper, the head of the U.S. National Intelligence, also stated last Tuesday in remarks to the Senate Armed Services Committee that North Korea has reactivated its plutonium-producing reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear facility, contrary to previous agreements. Plutonium can be used to produce nuclear weapon fuel. North Korea: Closure of Industrial Complex is Declaration of War. Meanwhile, North Korea on Thursday deemed South Korea's action to close the joint industrial complex at the border between the two countries in response to these tests as a 'declaration of war.' According to Reuters, following the South Korean government's order, dozens of trucks carrying equipment and goods entered South Korea from this industrial complex on Thursday. About 124 South Korean companies, which employed nearly 55,000 North Korean residents, were operating in this complex based on a plan for cooperation within the framework of efforts for the unification of the two countries.