US, allies impose new sanctions on North Korean officials amid missile tests
- US Treasury says it has sanctioned 3 WPK individuals, while S Korea blacklisted 8 people and 7 institutions and Japan has frozen the assets of a number of others
- North Korea ramped up its weapons demonstrations to a record pace this year, test-firing dozens of missiles including ICBMs, which met with international criticism
Washington has imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, the US Treasury said on Thursday.
The US Treasury said it sanctioned three officials of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) “in close trilateral coordination” with its allies South Korea and Japan.
The sanctions target three officials “who have had leading roles” in North Korea’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programmes,” said the US Treasury’s Brian Nelson in a statement announcing the move.
“Recent launches demonstrate the need for all countries to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions, which are intended to prevent [North Korea] from acquiring the technologies, materials, and revenue Pyongyang needs to develop its prohibited WMD and ballistic missile capabilities.”
South Korea blacklisted eight people and seven institutions for reasons similar to Washington’s. This is also the country’s reaction to the latest test of a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile on 18 November, the foreign ministry in Seoul announced on Friday.
The move, which prohibits South Koreans from conducting any type of business with the North without authorisation, was largely symbolic as there are little financial dealings between the rival sides.