A U.N. panel of experts is expected to recommend fresh sanctions against North Korea to a Security Council committee next week, sources said Thursday.

The recommendations will be included in the panel's annual report to the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions on Pyongyang, the sources said. The committee, in turn, is expected to propose sanctions to the council in early March, the sources said.

The Security Council swiftly condemned the North's Jan. 6 nuclear test and has since been working on a new sanctions resolution. Adding to the international outrage, the North unveiled its plan this week to conduct a banned long-range rocket launch.

The Radio Free Asia has reported the panel of experts plans to recommend sanctions against two main agencies responsible for the North's nuclear and missile programs -- the Munitions Industry Department of the North's ruling Workers' Party and the State Space Development Bureau.

The panel is also expected to recommend sanctions against senior North Korean officials, such as Pak To-chun, a former secretary of the Munitions Industry Department; Ri Man-gon, director of the department; and Ri Pyong-chol, a deputy director of the department, the report said.

So far, the Security Council has adopted six resolutions, six presidential statements and two press statements with regard to the North's nuclear and missile programs. Of the six resolutions, four included sanctions against the isolated nation.

Chinese cooperation is key to putting together and implementing any meaningful sanctions resolution, as it is one of the five veto-holding permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and the main provider of food and fuel for the impoverished North.

Beijing has condemned the North's nuclear test, but has been lukewarm about calls for stern responses. Analysts have long said Beijing fears that pushing Pyongyang too hard could lead to its collapse, instability on its border with China and the untimely emergence of a pro-U.S. nation. (Yonhap)