A senior U.S. official said that although a lack of cooperation from Russia and China restricts the ability of the UN Security Council(UNSC) to impose fresh sanctions on North Korea, the U.S. will not tolerate any violations of current resolutions.

Bonnie Jenkins, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, made the remarks at the annual National Security Conference hosted by the Center for a New American Security in Washington on Tuesday.

Asked how the U.S. will hold North Korea accountable for its recent launch of a space rocket, Jenkins said that it is difficult as China and Russia are not cooperating with other permanent UNSC members.

The under secretary said that the U.S. remains committed to improving and strengthening existing sanctions and working with like-minded countries to ensure that countries do not violate them.

Jenkins stressed that the U.S. remains unchanged in its stance that it will not accept any violations of UNSC sanctions against North Korea.