The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to strengthen existing sanctions against the communist nation after it tested another nuclear device and fired a string of missiles last month.

The new resolution bans all weapons exports from North Korea and most weapon imports into the country and authorizes UN member nations to inspect vessels they suspect of carrying weapons, military equipment or nuclear material.

Permanent members China and Russia had been reluctant to support further sanctions, but China's UN ambassador called the resolution a "positive signal" that the international community was determined to stop nuclear proliferation.

"By conducting another nuclear test, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea violated UN resolutions and hurt the effectiveness of the non-proliferation regime and affected international peace and security," said Ambassador Zhang Yesui.

The Security Council passed a first round of sanctions against North Korea when it tested its first nuclear device in 2006.

"We believe that this unified action by the Council represents a very significant step in response to what the North Korean government has been doing," said Britain's deputy UN ambassador, Philip Parham, to reporters ahead of the vote on Friday.

The resolution calls on North Korea to "abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and immediately cease all related activities."

It also urged Pyongyang to return to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and six-party talks with the US, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea. The sanctions could be suspended if North Korea were to alter its course.

hf/AFP/dpa/Reuters

Editor: Chuck Penfold