U.S. issues fresh North Korea sanctions after recent missile launches
The United States on Friday slapped sanctions on five entities it accused of providing support to North Korea's development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, increasing pressure on Pyongyang following a recent series of missile launches.
The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said Friday's action targets the Ministry of Rocket Industry, which it said is a North Korean weapons of mass destruction research and development organization directly linked to the development of new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
It also designated four of the organization's subsidiaries - Hapjanggang Trading Corporation, Korea Rounsan Trading Corporation, Sungnisan Trading Corporation, and Unchon Trading Corporation.
The move follows a rise in tensions with North Korea following two ballistic missile tests on Feb. 26 and March 4 that involved a new ICBM system that North Korea is developing, and last week's first full ICBM test conducted by North Korea since 2017.
“The DPRK’s (Democratic People's Republic of Korea's) provocative ballistic missile tests represent a clear threat to regional and global security and are in blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in the statement. Read More...