The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose limited sanctions on North Korea for its recent missile tests, and demanded that the reclusive communist nation suspend its ballistic missile program. North Korea immediately rejected the resolution and vowed to continue missile launches. U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said North Korea set "a world record" for a rejection -- 45 minutes -- and warned that Pyongyang's failure to comply could lead to further council action. He did not say what that might be. The resolution bans all U.N. member states from selling material or technology for missiles or weapons of mass destruction to North Korea, and from receiving missiles, banned weapons or technology from Pyongyang. It condemns North Korea's multiple missile launches on July 5 and demands that North Korea "suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program" and re-establish a moratorium on missile launches. It strongly urges North Korea to return to six-party talks on its nuclear program, which have been stalled since last September.
North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Pak Gil Yon, who was in the Security Council chamber for the vote in a rare appearance, accused the council of trying to isolate his country, known officially as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK. "The delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea resolutely condemns the attempt of some countries to misuse the Security Council for the despicable political aim to isolate and put pressure on the DPRK, and totally rejects the resolution," he said.