The South Korean government imposed sanctions on 11 North Korean individuals, including a North Korean diplomat stationed in the country’s embassy in China, and four institutions involved in missile development and foreign currency activities on Friday in response to Pyongyang’s launch of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the previous day.
Under the sanctions, South Korean entities are prohibited from engaging in financial transactions with the implicated North Korean individuals and organizations unless they obtain approval from the Bank of Korea or the Financial Services Commission. Violations will result in penalties under relevant laws. The sanctions, announced by the South Korean Foreign Ministry, follow a decision made by the National Security Council (NSC) and are set to take effect on Nov. 6.
“We have made it clear that North Korea’s provocations will carry consequences, and we will continue to closely cooperate with the international community to ensure North Korea realizes this and ceases its provocations, returning to denuclearization,” the ministry said in a statement.
Among the list, Choe Kwang-su, formerly head of the North Korean Economic and Trade Representative Mission in Mozambique, is alleged to have played a direct role in exporting North Korean weapons and related items in violation of international sanctions.
In addition, five named officials from North Korea’s state-owned Korea National Insurance Corporation — Pak Chun-san, Seo Dong-myung, Kim Il-su, Choe Chun-sik, and Kang Song-sam — are accused of funding the regime’s nuclear and missile programs. The individuals have ties to Office 39, an agency that manages foreign currency for the ruling Workers’ Party.
Another individual sanctioned, Choe Chol-min, holds dual roles as a diplomat at North Korea’s embassy in China and as a representative of the Second Academy of Natural Sciences, North Korea’s research and development organization for advanced weapons. Choe is accused of facilitating the procurement of dual-use items, which have both civilian and military applications, as well as ballistic missile parts. He is also suspected of arranging the dispatch of more than 1,000 North Korean laborers to China. His spouse, Choe Un-jong, was sanctioned as well for aiding the dual-use item procurement. The couple was previously blacklisted by the U.S. government last year.
Three other individuals — Im Sang-sun, Choe Sung-chul and Ju Yang-won — were sanctioned for managing construction projects in Senegal and reportedly channeling profits to the North Korean regime.
The four North Korean institutions facing sanctions — Tongbang Construction, Patisen SA, the Kumrung Company and EMG Universal Auto — were implicated for facilitating foreign currency activities involving North Korean overseas laborers also in Senegal.
South Korea enforces UN sanctions via the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), recently established in collaboration with 10 other countries including the United States and Japan. Regarding the individual sanctions, The government intends to coordinate with allied nations to achieve cumulative and sequential effects.
BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]
