The US has announced to impose new sanctions on North Korea on Wednesday. The announcement came after Mrs Clinton and US Defence Secretary Robert Gates visited the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, following the crisis over the sinking of a South Korean warship that left 46 sailors dead. Clinton said the measures would target Pyongyang's sale and purchase of arms and import of luxury goods, and would help prevent nuclear proliferation. Speaking at a news conference in Seoul, Mrs Clinton said the measures would increase Washington's ability to prevent North Korea's proliferation, to halt their illicit activities that help fund their weapons programmes, and to discourage further provocative actions. She said the sanctions were not directed at the North Korean people but at the misguided and malign priorities of their government. Mrs Clinton said she expected North Korea to take certain steps that would acknowledge their responsibility for the incident and to move towards denuclearisation.
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