Sanctions urged for North Korea; China resists

(Reuters) - The United States, European Union, South Korea and Japan have submitted a list of about 40 North Korean companies to the U.N. Security Council's sanctions committee for possible blacklisting due to Pyongyang's recent rocket launch, envoys said on Tuesday.

The committee, which includes all 15 Security Council members, received an initial response from China that it would only consent to adding two entities to the U.N. list of banned North Korean firms, which the United States and its allies see as too few, envoys told Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

"The U.S., Europeans, Japan and ROK (South Korea) have together produced a list of around 40 entities to be designated by the 1718 Committee," a senior diplomat told Reuters. "The challenge remains as usual squarely on PRC (China)."

The United States was continuing to press China to allow more North Korean firms to be sanctioned, envoys said. Read More