UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed the adoption of a new resolution in response to the Sept. 9 nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and asked all UN member states to "make every effort" to ensure the full implementation of the new resolution.
"I welcome the unanimous adoption of this new resolution," Ban said at the 15-nation UN body after its adoption of the new resolution. "Maintaining such unity is crucial in tackling security challenges on the Korean Peninsula and beyond."
Since January, the DPRK has conducted two nuclear tests and at least 25 launches using ballistic missile technology, including launches of satellite, submarine-based ballistic missiles, and medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, the secretary-general noted.
This year, the Security Council has met on nine occasions in emergency consultations in response to the DPRK's nuclear tests and ballistic missile activities, he noted. "This is an unprecedentedly high number."
The resolution unanimously adopted by the council early Wednesday took nearly three months to materialize, following the nuclear test in September, he noted. "The time taken to reach agreement on this resolution vividly illustrates the complex nature of the challenge."
"We must assume that, with each test or launch, DPRK continues to make technological advances in its pursuit of a military nuclear capability," he said. "The increase in and nature of these activities pose an ever growing threat to regional security and the global non-proliferation regime."
Meanwhile, the secretary-general also urged all member states to make every effort to ensure that these sanctions are fully implemented.
In the new resolution, the Security Council decided to tighten sanctions on the DPRK in response to the country's fifth nuclear test since 2006.
The resolution sets an upper limit on the DPRK's coal exporting, saying the total exports of coal from the DPRK should not exceed 400.9 million U.S. dollars or 7.5 million metric tons per year, whichever is lower.
The resolution also contains additional measures aimed to further restrict the DPRK's hard currency revenues, and activities of the country's diplomats and other officials.
