North Korea still "stubborn" despite harsh U.N. sanctions

North Korea has defied harsh United Nations (UN) sanctions imposed on Thursday, by firing several short-range projectiles into the sea.

The U.N Security Council sanctions, backed by Pyongyang’s ally China, are aimed at starving the country thus making it difficult for it to develop its nuclear programme.

Tension has been mounting on the Korean peninsula since a January nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch in February.

South Korea has remained on high alert after the tests.

The North says it was its sovereign right to launch rockets as part of a space program to put satellites into orbit.

The harsh U.N. sanctions checks the country’s exports with the aim of cutting off funds for North Korea’s nuclear programmes.

Meanwhile the European union (EU) is also considering more sanctions on North Korea according to reports.

EU considers more North Korea sanctions after U.N. vote: diplomats https://t.co/pYDxrfuA0l

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) March 3, 2016

Henceforth, all cargo going in and out of North Korea must be inspected.

Suspicious government officials have been blacklisted, officials say.

China reacted to the harsh measures by requesting calm between North and South Korea.

The U.N sanctions were welcomed with joy in Seoul.

“We will cooperate with the world to make the North Korean regime abandon its reckless nuclear development and end tyranny that oppresses freedom and human rights of our brethren in the North,” South Korea’s president Park Geun-hye said after getting the news.

South Korea has also adopted two laws; the first to set up an anti-espionage unit and the second to to improve human rights in North Korea.