Sanctions and Consequent Effects on North Korea's Trade

Abstract

The international community’s sanctions against North Korea (DPRK) have been tight-ened since 2006, as the DPRK continuously implemented nuclear tests through which smaller and technologically advanced nuclear bombs and ICBMs were tested out. When the DPRK conducted its 1st nuclear test in Octo-ber 2006, the international community needed only less than a month to draw an agreement which aimed to deter the DPRK from conduct-ing further nuclear tests, and began to put pressure on the DPRK to suspend all nuclear-related activities via UN Security Council Resolution 1718 (UNSCR 1718). When the DPRK conducted its 5th nuclear test on Sep-tember 9, 2016, circumstances changed. This time it took the international community more than two months to determine what measures should be applied to pressure the DPRK to cease any additional nuclear provocations. Eventually the UN passed UNSCR 2321 on November 30, 2016. However, circumstances related to the nuclear program in the DPRK and the responses of neighboring countries to it have changed.