South Korea Mulls Slapping North With Stronger Unilateral Sanctions

Seoul mulls punishing Pyongyang with stricter sanctions for the recent nuclear test.

SEOUL (Sputnik) — Seoul considers much stronger unilateral sanctions against Pyongyang in response to its recent nuclear test that took place a month ago, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

"(South Korea) is carrying out a broad review of adopting additional independent sanctions… At the pan-government level, (Seoul) is seeking more detailed and effective sanctions measures," Cho June-hyuck, spokesman for the ministry, said in a regular briefing, as cited by the Yonhap news agency.

The content of the new sanctions remains unknown, the media said, adding that the South Korean government repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of North Korea's United Nations membership on the international stage, calling to take action over the issue.

North Korea has been under pressure from the international community since a nuclear test and the launch of a long-range rocket early this year. On March 2, the United Nations adopted a resolution 2270 that tightened sanctions against Pyongyang. On September 9, North Korea carried out one more nuclear test at its northeastern nuclear test site.