North Korea has a long history of breaking UN resolutions. Since 2006, five resolutions have been passed by the United Nations Security Council that put sanctions on North Korea for fostering its nuclear weapons program. The communist nation, however, continually refuses to show respect for the United Nations and the rest of the world by violating both resolutions and sanctions.
After North Korea left the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2003, it was clear that it would continue developing and testing nuclear weapons, despite objections from the world community. Resolution 1718, established in 2006, urged North Korea to abandon future nuclear tests or launches. It were also urged again to rejoin the NPT talks about its nuclear programs.
Resolution 1874 was implemented in 2009 to strengthen the sanctions in UN Resolution 1718. After three years, North Korea continued to ignore the previous 1718 sanctions, prompting the UN to adopt Resolution 1874, which expanded the arms embargo imposed upon North Korea. This required states to destroy any cargo going through their territories to North Korea that could help it expand its nuclear program.
Four years later, in 2013, North Korea launched a satellite, and with that came Resolution 2087. With its continuous violations of prior resolutions, the UN felt it necessary to create a new one. This resolution called North Korea out for breaking prior resolutions, and also told other countries to continue monitoring it. The satellite launch meant that North Korea used its ballistic missile technology, and the UN stated that any similar actions from North Korea would require the UN to intervene, as well as create further sanctions.
Resolution 2094 was passed due to the fact that North Korea held another nuclear test, which it claimed was because of Resolution 2087. North Korea’s continuous attempts to further its nuclear and missile programs required the UN to take action with 2094, and block more money and technology that North Korea would need for such program advancements. It strengthened the sanctions of states, implementing and monitoring materials that go to North Korea from and through its territories. While no new monitoring techniques were assigned members of the committee were told to be constantly updating the list of goods and entities to report back to the council.
This year, North Korea’s launch of a second satellite and fourth nuclear test of a hydrogen bomb caused the UN to implement Resolution 2270. This resolution enforced mandatory cargo inspections of anything coming from or going to North Korea, as well as emphasized that North Korea has a history of putting its forbidden nuclear activity above the needs and necessities of their country.
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