The United Nations Security Council appears close to passing a new set of comprehensive sanctions against North Korea in response to the latter’s nuclear and missile tests earlier this year. With the crucial support of China, the proposed sanctions represent a significant extension of existing sanctions. They include mandatory inspections of cargo shipments entering and leaving North Korea, the prohibition of sales of all conventional weapons to the country – including small arms – and a ban on North Korean exports of coal, iron ore, gold and other mineral products if they can be linked to the DPRK’s weapons programs,