WASHINGTON (AP) – The United States is sanctioning a dozen individuals and five organizations tied to North Korea’s nuclear and weapons proliferation efforts.
The actions taken Wednesday by the Treasury and State departments complement actions taken by the United Nations and are aimed at holding Pyongyang responsible for its illicit pursuit of nuclear and missile programs.
The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the toughest sanctions on North Korea in two decades, reflecting growing anger at North Korea’s Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 rocket launch in defiance of a ban on all nuclear-related activity.
The U.S. action targeting North Korean individuals and organizations freezes all assets that they have within U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits Americans from engaging in transactions with them.