The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a fourth round of sanctions against North Korea aimed at slowing down its nuclear programs.
The resolution was drafted by the United States and China, North Korea's closest ally. The council's agreement to put the resolution to a vote just 48 hours later signaled that it would almost certainly have the support of all 15 council members.
Kim successfully launched a satellite shortly after taking power, which was widely viewed by the foreign policy community as a veiled test for an intercontinental missile system. Earlier this year, the North Koreans detonated a nuclear device in an underground test site, leading experts to believe that they are inching closer to a viable nuclear weapons system.