US President Barack Obama has decided to extend economic sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for another year because of its nuclear activities.

Obama on Wednesday extended Executive Order 13466, which was signed by his predecessor George W. Bush last June, for another year in order to ensure the measure would continue in effect beyond June 26.

Under the executive order, which declares a national emergency on the DPRK, the administration could impose restrictions on all commerce with Pyongyang.

According to a White House statement, the executive order was extended "because the existence and risk of the proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean peninsula continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States."

Washington is also poised to enforce sanctions set in the UN Security Council Resolution, which condemned the DPRK for its May 25 nuclear test.

The resolution also banned all weapons exports from the DPRK and most arms imports into the country. It also authorized UN members to inspect the DPRK's sea, air and land cargo, and required them to seize and destroy any goods transported in violation of the sanctions.

Defying the UN resolution, Pyongyang vowed to start enriching uranium to make more nuclear weapons, and to "weaponize" all the plutonium it could extract from used fuel rods at the Yongbyon nuclear plant.

(Xinhua News Agency June 26, 2009)