New U.N. sanctions intended to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear-weapons programs will have an “impact” when they take full effect, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said Wednesday. The U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1874 in response to North Korea's May 25 nuclear test. The resolution establishes a strengthened inspection regime for all cargo coming from or destined to North Korea. Ambassador Susan Rice emphasized that the new interdiction authority granted by the resolution is “but one piece of a very tough, very comprehensive sanctions regime that we are going to pursue fully and implement and enforce fully and effectively.” The new U.N. sanctions also include a widening of the existing weapons embargo on North Korea. “When this resolution is fully enforced—not only in terms of potential vessels that may be violating the sanctions but the financial sanctions, the arms embargo, the assets freezes—this will be a very, very tough package that will have an impact on North Korea,” Rice told CBS News. Rice also said the United States was closely monitoring a North Korean cargo ship that Washington suspects of transporting weapons in what would be a violation of the U.N. weapons embargo. “We're pursuing and following the progress of that ship very closely,” Rice said, declining to provide details on any actions the United States might take regarding the Kang Nam 1. The U.S. Navy has been tracking the ship for almost two weeks. It was suspected of heading for Myanmar before reversing course earlier this week.
