The US announced yesterday that it would widen sanctions on North Korea to more individuals and companies, in its latest gesture of solidarity with South Korea over the sinking of one of its warships earlier this year.
Speaking in Seoul, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said Washington had done “intensive research” on the new targets for sanctions and warned of serious consequences if there were any new attacks by Pyongyang.
The sanctions announcement comes ahead of a combined US and South Korean naval exercise that starts this weekend. Designed as an act of deterrence against North Korea, it has turned into something of a battle of wills with China.