The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has adopted a total of 10 resolutions against North Korea condemning its nuclearand ICBM-related activities under Chapter 7 of the UN Charters. Resolutions adopted up until 2013 focused on measures that were designed to affect the weapons programs and political elites of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in a selective manner. Starting from Resolution no. 2270 adopted in March 2016, however, the UNSC began to include measures that may undermine the North Korean economy to a significant extent. Subsequently, the UNSC, through Resolutions no. 2321, no. 2356, no. 2371, no. 2375 and no. 2397, imposed additional sanctions on the essential part of North Korea’s economic sector. Today, most of North Korea’s major export items (minerals, food products, agricultural products, machine, timber, marine products, and textiles) are banned from export. Some major import items (industrial machines, means of transport, steel, and other metals) are also subject to trade bans. The import of crude and refined oil products is also under restriction. Dispatching workers abroad, too, is prohibited. Meanwhile, a variety of financial sanctions against Pyongyang are being imposed.

1. Introduction 2. Discussions on Sanctions and Human Rights 3. Case Analysis 4. Sanctions against North Korea and Human Rights of North Koreans 5. Conclusion