The US and its Asian allies have imposed sanctions on three senior North Korean officials linked to the country’s recent missile tests.
Pyongyang launched a record number of more than 60 ballistic missiles this year and tested several ICBMs.
Jon Il Ho, Yu Jin and Kim Su Gil are said to have “played an important role” in the development of the weapons.
Japan, South Korea and the EU have also imposed sanctions.
North Korea has been facing harsh sanctions from Western countries for years. As part of these new sanctions, all US-based assets of North Korean officials will be frozen. You will be barred from all transactions with any US company or individual.
“Today’s actions have been taken in close coordination with the Republic of Korea and Japan and further align our policies with our EU partners regarding the global threat posed by the DPRK,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. said.
“These steps also underscore our continued determination to promote accountability in response to Pyongyang’s pace, scale and scale of ballistic missile launches.”
The latest missile test came on November 18, when Japan’s defense minister said North Korea had launched an ICBM with sufficient range to hit the US mainland. It landed in the sea about 210 km (130 miles) west of Hokkaido, Tokyo said.
Pyongyang conducted six nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017 and has reportedly completed preparations for a seventh test. Experts believe it could seize the opportunity to test a compact nuclear device. They also say North Korea is working to improve its short-range missile and conventional military capabilities.
The country has grown more confident under Kim Jong-un, who has overseen much of the recent development of its weapons program and four of the six nuclear tests so far.
“Recent launches demonstrate the need for all countries to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions aimed at preventing the DPRK from acquiring the technology, materials and revenue Pyongyang needs to expand its prohibited weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile capabilities develop,” according to an American account statement.
However, some American analysts say sanctions like these are symbolic and have not changed Pyongyang’s behavior.
“We (the US) can sanction North Korea as much as we want. But to have any real impact, we should also suspend access to US dollar correspondent banks of those mainland China institutions that handle the Kim regime’s money,” said Sean King, a consultant at Park Strategies.
Add Comment