During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Seoul today, the Obama Administration announced yet another new round of sanctions against the North Korean government, declaring it was design to punish “illicit and provocative policies pursued by that government.”
The new sanctions will, among other things, prohibit the importation of alcohol and jewelry into North Korea. Musical instruments, sporting equipment and DVD players are also to be banned.
Analysts say that the bans are largely in keeping wth bans already put in place by the United Nations, and that there isn’t anything meaningful that is new. The move is instead seen as a diplomatic move toward South Korea.
The announcement comes as the US is set to begin a “show of force” military exercise in the area. Tensions are on the rise with North Korea and the Obama Administration seems set to keep the policy toward increasing such tensions going forward.
"Provocative and illicit policies PURSUED[but not actually achieved] by that government". Let's punish the people that live their further because of something the people who make up the government TRIED to do. Collective punishment makes a lot of sense considering the the country is ruled by a dictatorship. Because of what Kim Jong Il did, now no one can have a foreign beer, a cd player or imported jewelry. This makes total sense I guess to the vindictive and irrational people that make up our government.