SOUTH KOREA and Japan imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea yesterday over its satellite launch on Sunday.And the US Senate was expected to follow suit with financial sanctions in a vote late yesterday.

Seoul said it would shut down operations at the industrial park in the border city of Kaesong — a landmark joint project with Pyongyang.

South Korean Unification Minister Hong Yong Pyo said at a news conference that the suspension of operations would stop the North from using hard currency earned there to develop nuclear and missile technology.