The United States has announced sanctions on six individuals and five entities based in China for their alleged involvement in the procurement of items supporting North Korea’s ballistic missile and space programs.
The Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday that North Korea's ballistic missile and space programs rely on foreign-sourced materials and components, and that the North uses an extensive network of overseas agents to procure those items.
“The DPRK also leverages foreign-incorporated companies to purchase items in support of its ballistic missile and weapons production,” the department said. DPRK, or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is North Korea’s official name.
“These companies consolidate and repackage items for onward shipment to the DPRK, concealing the true end-user from the manufacturers and distributors of the items,” it added.
Among the five entities are Beijing Sanshunda Electronics Science and Technology Co. Ltd. and Shenzhen City Mean Well Electronics Co. Ltd. The six individuals include Chen Tianxin and Du Jiaxin, according to the department.
The department also said that the new sanctions reaffirm that relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions remain “in full force” and reiterate the U.S. “commitment to countering sanctions evasion and strengthening efforts for enforcement.”
“The DPRK’s continued development and proliferation of its ballistic missile technologies – in violation of U.N. sanctions – is both irresponsible and destabilizing for both the region and the international community,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.
“The United States remains committed to using our tools to enforce these international sanctions, including disrupting the illicit procurement networks that provide key inputs for these technologies and holding accountable those who seek to enable these activities,” Nelson added.
The new sanctions came amid concerns that the disbandment of a U.N. sanctions-monitoring panel would weaken international efforts to identify and prevent Pyongyang’s sanctions violations.
The U.N. panel of experts, tasked with investigating violations of sanctions related to North Korea's prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile programs, was officially dissolved in April. This followed the U.N. Security Council's failure to renew the panel's mandate on March 28 due to a veto by permanent council member Russia.
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Edited by Mike Firn.