The Limits of UN Sanctions under International Law: The Case of North Korea

North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs have been a concern of the international community for many years. In response to North Korea’s first nuclear test in 2006, the Security Council adopted one of the most controversial sanctions regimes in the history of the UN. After further nuclear tests in 2009, twice in 2016, and in 2017, the Security Council unanimously adopted even more new resolutions according to Chapter VII of the UN Charter, condemning North Korea’s behavior and demanding, inter alia, that it refrains from future nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The Security Council has tightened these sanctions over the years with a total of 10 resolutions. The UN sanctions imposed on North Korea raise many political, ethical, and legal questions. This article tries to answer them from the perspective of international law by examining the legal limits of the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.