In this Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016 photo provided by the United Nations, the Security Council votes at UN headquarters to further tighten sanctions on North Korea in response to their fifth and largest nuclear test yet. The council unanimously approved the sanctions resolution following months of diplomatic wrangling over how best to respond to North Korea’s latest nuclear test in September and their repeated defiance of international sanctions and diplomatic pressure. AP
PYONGYANG, North Korea — North Korea says a sweeping new round of UN sanctions aimed at choking its nuclear program by cutting off as much of a quarter of its foreign trade revenue is doomed to fail and will be met with tough countermeasures.
Indicating how seriously the North takes the UN move, its vice foreign minister called a gathering of foreign diplomats in the capital early Friday to lay out his country’s opposition to the sanctions, which are the harshest to date and have the support of China, North Korea’s primary trading partner.
READ: UN Security Council hits N.Korea with toughest-ever sanctions
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued soon after the sanctions were announced, “categorically” rejected the sanctions, prompted by its nuclear test on Sept. 9.
It warned of tough countermeasures, but didn’t say what they might be./rga