In reaction to North Korea's latest nuclear test the European Union will tighten sanctions against the country in the form of blocking the trade of gold and diamonds, as well as cracking down on financial ties between them.
May 15 – The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and China Construction Bank, three of the Big Four banks of China, halted all financial transactions between China and North Korea. The fourth Big Four bank, the Bank of China, had taken the same step several days before.
The Kaesong Industrial Complex , the last symbol of inter-Korean relations, was shut down. North Korea stated that South Korea was fully culpable for the shutdown, and claimed that any finished products left at the Kaesong Complex would belong to the North.
During Foal Eagle, an annual training exercise conducted between South Korea and the United States, North Korea threatened to abandon the Korean Armistice Agreement, arguing the exercises threatened North Korea with nuclear weapons and that the U.S. was unwilling to negotiate a peace treaty to replace the armistice.
A flight of seven B-1B Lancer bombers was also deployed to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. March 28 - The international hotel chain Kempinski announced that it was cancelling plans to open the Ryugyong Hotel. The tallest building in Pyongyang, the hotel has been under construction since 1987, but has never opened.
The fourth Big Four bank, the Bank of China, had taken the same step several days before. May 18 – North Korea launched three short-range guided missiles into the Sea of Japan. The first two missiles were shot in the morning, while the third was in the afternoon.
South Korea dispatched two Sejong the Great -class guided-missile destroyers equipped with Aegis combat system to watch both sides of the peninsula for a possible North Korean missile launch Yonhap news agency reported, citing Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy official sources.