The United Nations has decided to hit Kim Jong Un of North Korea where it really hurts — it’s going to ban the export to the communist hermit regime of luxury snowmobiles.

The measure, an annex to a new Security Council resolution that is likely to pass tomorrow unanimously, would still allow the sale to Pyongyang of snow mobiles. Just not the fanciest ones — nothing more than the equivalent of a Yamaha SRX 120, which runs about $1,999.

The American-sponsored Council resolution, which was worked on for weeks in closed-door consultations with communist Chinese diplomats, is likely to be praised for the tough new restrictions hampering North Korea’s ability to develop and proliferate weapons. Yet, Kim Jong-un and his cronies will still be able to buy their snowmobiles.

Washington likely made the ski-related compromise to assure that tougher measures would be included in the UN resolution. But did we make other concessions to China, such as a delay in deployment of defensive gear in South Korea?

The proposed 19-page resolution indeed includes tough new provisions meant to stop deliveries of nuclear-related and ballistic missile parts. There are new measures to tighten inspection of cargo on ships or air vessels. Banking with the North, which fuels the arms race, will also be much tougher. Trading in gold, which has been used to evade past sanctions, is added to the restrictions.

As the American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, explained, the proposed resolution “focuses on the ruling elite” that are “always privileging the nuclear and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of the North Korean people.”

Hence, luxury goods that only the elite can buy, like expensive watches, aquatic recreational vehicles, and other sports equipment will no longer be exported to the North. So why the clause that exempts snowmobiles under $2,000 from the list of banned items?

As result of decades of malnutrition, North Koreans, on average, are several inches shorter than their southern brethren. Most citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic cannot obtain bare necessities, let alone afford a surprise for the kids in the form of a used winter vehicle.

Yet, when Kim Jong-un ordered his minions to prepare some winter fun for his cronies, China obliged by providing skiing-related equipment for the Masikryong resort, which opened in 2013. This may have violated the spirit of past Security Council resolutions, but Beijing assured a UN panel of experts last month that skiing is “normal activity” in North Korea.

So in the negotiating the resolution, America and China likely agreed to split the baby in half: Snowmobiles will be allowed, but only those costing under $2,000. Did Washington agree to other compromises?

The deployment of US-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense batteries in South Korea, strongly opposed by China, was reportedly delayed after Beijing agreed to the new resolution. “The governments of South Korea and the US are apparently shifting their stance on the deployment after China agreed to new U.N. sanctions against North Korea,” The Korea Times reports.

State Department spokesman John Kirby denied any such quid-pro-quo, but he acknowledged that a decision to deploy the defensive system is yet to be made. There is “an agreement to begin consultations with South Korea about the potential efficacy of such a deployment, but no decisions have been made one way or another,” he said.

Yet, it sounds like Beijing agreed to impose new UN sanctions on North Korea, while we postponed, and perhaps scrapped, the deployment of missile defense systems near China’s border. And, yes, Mr. Kim can still frolic in the cold when he feels like it, albeit in a cheaper snowmobile.

Twitter: @bennyavni