WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — North Korea has almost completed its nuclear development program, putting every country in the world in imminent danger, South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister Yun Byung-se told the UN Security Council on Friday.
"North Korea is now at the final stage of nuclear weaponization and claims to be a nuclear weapon state," Yun stated. "Rapid development of ballistic missiles of all types and ranges now threaten to reach every corner of the world."
The UN Security Council should consider cutting off crude oil supplies to North Korea and stopping coal imports from the country in response to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons-related activities, Yun Byung-se said.
"We could take potent measures, such as halting the export and supply of crude oil to North Korea, completely cutting up North Korean hard currency earnings by, for instance suspending all imports of coal from North Korea," Byung-se stated.
Tensions surrounding North Korea's activities with both nuclear and ballistic missiles have escalated in recent months after Pyongyang conducted a number of nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
In response to the growing tensions in the region, the United States sent a naval group led by US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson to the Korean Peninsula. On April 14, US media reported that Trump might order a strike against North Korea if Pyongyang decided to carry out another nuclear weapons test.
"[The UN Security Council should be] seriously considering whether North Korea, a serious offender, is qualified as member of the United Nations, as well as downgrading diplomatic relations with North Korea," Yun stated.
