Main article:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41182541
Supplementary articles (for background info):
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/29/world/asia/north-korea-nuclear-timeline---fast-facts/index.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40871848
North Korea has been an independent, communist nation since beginning of the Cold War. They signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a treaty designed to drastically slow the development of nuclear weapons in nations, in 1985. However, North Korea had been secretly running a nuclear weapons program, violating the Non-Proliferation agreement they signed. After the Bush administration found out about this, North Korea withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Since then, North Korea has conducted numerous missile tests that have drawn the attention of many nations:US, China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia to name a few. Sanctions to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program have proven ineffective over the years, and now North Korea claims to have hydrogen bombs that can easily fit into long-range missiles.
Though many believe that North Korea is simply developing nuclear weapons as a way to gain power, big nations in danger of an attack have taken the necessary safety measures. For instance, South Korea has developed Thaad (the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), a missile defense system funded by the United States. Japan also has a similar defense system called "the Patriot missile system."
Despite the numerous sanctions that have failed to control North Korea, The United States proposed a list of new sanctions which will soon be looked over by the members of the United Nations security council. This resolution will ban oil exports to North Korea. Though Russia and China have recently become supportive of the sanctions against North Korea's nuclear program, they are still suppliers of oil to North Korea, so there is no guarantee that they will be supportive of this one. The sanctions will also ban textile exports from North Korea, severely weakening its economy. Furthermore, the sanctions will freeze Kim-Jong-Un's assets and ban him from traveling. US envoy Nikki Haley says "Enough is enough. We must now adopt the strongest possible measures."
Discussion questions:
Was it smart for the United States to put together these sanctions despite its ineffectiveness over the last decade?
Do you think nations like Russia and China will approve of these sanctions?
Why do you think North Korea is keep trying to expand its nuclear program?
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