The US secretary of state says the United Nations Security Council has unanimously agreed to maintain sanctions against the DPRK, until Pyongyang acts on its promise to denuclearize. Mike Pompeo was in New York to address concerns about possible violations, and convey Washington's resolve to keep the pressure on the reclusive state. Our UN correspondent Liling Tan has more.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the UN Security Council, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said if DPRK sanctions are not enforced, the prospects for denuclearization will be diminished.

MIKE POMPEO US SECRETARY OF STATE "The countries of the Security Council are united underneath a final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea as agreed to by Chairman Kim. Strict enforcement of sanctions is critical to our achieving this goal."

Pompeo alleges that the DPRK has been smuggling petroleum products into the country that exceeds the 500-thousand a year quota set by UN sanctions, and that ship-to-ship transfers have occurred 89 times in the first five months of the year and continue to occur. US Ambassador Nikki Haley added that the best way to support ongoing talks is to make sure sanctions are not violated or rolled back.

NIKKI HALEY US AMBASSADOR TO THE UN "What we continue to reiterate is we can't do one thing until we see North Korea respond to their promise to denuclearize. We have to see some sort of action. And so until that action happens, the Security Council's going to hold tight, the international community - we ask you to hold tight as we go forward."

Haley said the US on Friday also put pressure on China and Russia to abide by the sanctions, adding that a recent petition for UN member states to stop all movement of oil from the DPRK since the cap has been reached was blocked by China and Russia.

LILING TAN NEW YORK "China's Foreign Ministry on Friday said decisions on this matter should be made after thorough discussions based on solid and credible facts and evidence. China has maintained that it has always abided by UN resolutions on the DPRK. In urging the Security Council to stop the illicit transfer of petroleum products, coal and other banned items, the US is NOT seeking additional sanctions, but to fully implement existing ones. It appears that Secretary Pompeo's visit here is to provide assurances of America's resolve to keep these sanctions in place, and to get assurances from countries that they remain committed as well. Liling Tan, CGTN, New York."