Barack Obama will not block North Korea sanctions bill: White House

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE: The White House said on Friday it will not oppose legislation approved by Congress to expand sanctions against North Korea after it recently conducted a rocket launch and a nuclear test.

"Like many members of Congress, the administration is deeply concerned about North Korea's recent actions and the serious setback that this test represents," White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters in a briefing.

"We're philosophically and intellectually in the same place as the Congress on this," Schultz said.