China to ban North Korean imports as UN sanctions take hold

In time for UN Security Council sanctions go into effect Tuesday, China's Commerce Ministry issued on Monday an order banning imports of coal, iron ore, lead concentrates and ore, lead and sea food from North Korea. The sanctions were mandated to take effect 30 days after unanimous Security Council approval on Aug. 6. Those products form the bulk of Pyongyang’s exports and source of foreign currency revenue. DEBKAfile: It is hard to see Kim Jong-un taking these penalties lying down or accepting China’s lining up with the United States against his regime.