After North Korea's announcement of successfully testing a nuclear bomb, the United States is eyeing on a possible strong response through a vote on a measure aiming to impose stronger punishment to companies doing business with the country.
According to Reuters, U.S. congressional sources revealed that the Republican leaders of the House of Representatives are considering a vote on a measure introduced early last year by Representative Ed Royce and Eliot Engel.
The Bill was passed by the committee in February last year but has since not been brought up. However, with North Korea's announcement of testing the hydrogen bomb, sources pointed out that a vote on the measure is being considered which could take place as early as next week, although no decision has been made yet on the scheduling of debate and votes.
As reported by Huffington Post, the Bill would give authority to U.S. officials to freeze the assets of companies held in the Unites States who will be found to have ties to the prohibited activities of the North Korea as well as those that do business with the country and provide them hard currency.
It would also be aimed at banks that facilitate North Korea's illegal activities as well as those that who aided in the cyber attack to the United States. According to Hindustan Times, North Korea announced on Wednesday that they have successfully tested hydrogen bombs believed to be more powerful than the atomic bomb.
The country also claimed that they can miniaturize the bomb and incorporate it on a missile which poses as a threat to the U.S. West Coast, Japan, and South Korea. North Korea was also previously sanctioned or testing an atomic device 2006 as well as for conducting a nuclear test in 2013. The latest hydrogen bomb test was made two days before the believed birthday of their president Kim Jong Un.
