The United States and Japan have declared fresh sanctions on North Korea after the nuclear-armed nation conducted its latest ballistic missile tests.
The Biden administration aimed at three people who headed organizations linked to the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs). Japan put sanctions on three organizations and one person for their ties with the nuclear and missile programs said the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
A statement from the US Department of the Treasury read, “The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today sanctioned three individuals for being officials of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK). These individuals have provided support to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missiles.”
The restrictions are imposed as North Korea launched its intercontinental ballistic missile on November 18, which was its eighth ICBM launch in 2022.
The US and Japan were of the opinion that the measures are in accordance with wider multilateral efforts to disrupt the DPRK’s capability to operate its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs that threaten regional stability.
Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson said, “Treasury is taking action in close trilateral coordination with the Republic of Korea and Japan against officials who have had leading roles in the DPRK’s unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs.”
He added, “Recent launches demonstrate the need for all countries to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions, which are intended to prevent the DPRK from acquiring the technologies, materials, and revenue Pyongyang needs to develop its prohibited WMD and ballistic missile capabilities.”
Since the beginning of the year, North Korea has launched scores of missiles for testing, often shooting multiple missiles at once. More than 20 short-range missiles were launched by North Korea in the past month.
