SEOUL, July 14 (UPI) — In light of North Korea’s launch of an ICBM earlier this week, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry declared sanctions against four North Korean individuals and three entities on Friday.
The sanctions specifically target high-ranking officials and businesses involved in the illicit nuclear and missile programs financed by Pyongyang.
The Foreign Ministry stated in a press release that this action was taken “in response to North Korea’s launch of a long-range ballistic missile on July 12, which poses a threat to the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula and the international community.”
On Wednesday, North Korea test-fired its new Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM, triggering widespread international condemnation and leading to an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
The officials facing sanctions include Jong Kyong Thaek, the director of the General Political Bureau overseeing the North Korean military, and Park Kwang Ho, the former propaganda director of the regime. Additionally, individuals Park Hwa Song and Hwang Kil Su, who manage the company Congo Aconde based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have also been blacklisted. The company generates revenue for North Korea through construction and statue-building projects in collaboration with local governments.
Other entities facing sanctions are Congo Aconde, Chilsong Trading Corp., and Korea Paekho Trading Corp.
This announcement marks the 10th round of unilateral sanctions against North Korea under President Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration, bringing the total number of targeted individuals to 49, along with 50 entities.
The ministry stated, “The South Korean government has made it clear that North Korea’s provocations will inevitably come at a price.” It added, “Our government will continue to strengthen close cooperation with the international community, including the United States and Japan, so that North Korea can clearly realize this fact, stop creating tension, and engage in denuclearization talks.”
Over the past year, Washington and Seoul have enhanced their military cooperation through several large-scale joint exercises, which Pyongyang has repeatedly criticized as preparations for an invasion.
In April, President Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden adopted the Washington Declaration, a nuclear cooperation pact that committed to further enhancing the deployment of strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula, including the first visit by a nuclear ballistic missile submarine in decades.
On Thursday, the allies conducted joint air drills involving at least one U.S. B-52H strategic bomber, as confirmed by Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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