North Korea: EU adds four persons involved in financing of nuclear programme to sanctions list | WPN World People News

The Council added four persons to the list of those subject to the restrictive measures against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). These restrictive measures consist of a travel ban and an asset freeze. The four individuals have been involved in deceptive financial practices which are suspected of contributing to the DPRK's nuclear-related, ballistic-missile-related or other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes.

The EU's sanctions regime against the DPRK is its toughest on any country. These sanctions were adopted in response to the DPRK's nuclear weapon and ballistic missile development activities, which are in breach of numerous UNSC resolutions. The EU not only transposes the sanctions imposed by the UN but also has its own autonomous sanctions regime on the DPRK, which complements and reinforces the sanctions adopted by the UN. The additional listings adopted are part of the EU's autonomous sanctions regime against the DPRK, on April 19th.

The decision brings the total number of persons listed autonomously by the EU to 59. In addition, the EU has frozen the assets of 9 entities as part of its own sanctions regime. It has also transposed all relevant UN Security Council resolutions, which impose sanctions on 80 persons and 75 entities currently listed by the UN.

EU foreign ministers discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula with the South Korean Foreign Minister, Kang Kyung-wha, on 19 March 2018, in light of the recent announcements made by the DPRK's leadership and looking ahead to the summit between Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in scheduled for April and the announced meeting between Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. They welcomed South Korea's efforts to de-escalate tensions on the peninsula and improve intra-Korean relations, and to create the conditions needed to work towards a diplomatic solution aimed at the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Source: European Council Council of the European Union