US UN NK

Will the US take North Korea to the UN Security Council in an attempt to impose more sanctions as retribution for NK's refusal to come back to the six-party talks?

A decision is likely within weeks on whether to take the North Korea nuclear issue to the United Nations, where sanctions could be imposed on the isolated communist state, a senior U.S. defense official said on Sunday.

The comment reflects growing frustration over Pyongyang's failure to return to six-party negotiations aimed at persuading the North to abandon its nuclear ambitions. The last round of talks was held in June 2004.

Taking the issue to the U.N. Security Council, which Pyongyang opposes, "is something we're giving increasing study to and probably will come to a decision over the next few weeks," the official told reporters.

"We have the one anniversary (of the last six-party talks) but moreover we have an escalating downward spiral of threats by North Korea and it appears to be marching to its own frustration drum. It's a very good time to be talking about it, the June-July period," he said.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is due to meet President Bush in Washington on June 10 for talks that could be crucial to the way forward on North Korea.

I suppose there's little more to do about North Korea with their constant refusals to come to the table. Will UN sanctions change anything?