South Korea imposes sanctions on North Korea and Russia for military cooperation

South Korea has imposed sanctions on 11 individuals and 15 organisations involved in military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, the financing of North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes and Pyongyang's illegal procurement of sanctioned goods.

Source: statement by South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; DW, a German international broadcaster and media outlet

Details: The restrictions on individuals and organisations will take effect on 19 December.

The sanctions list includes generals of the Korean People's Army Kim Yong Bok and Sin Kum Chol, missile engineer Ri Pong Chun and another high-ranking officer, Ri Song Jin.

Restrictions have also been imposed on several businessmen and their companies, such as Roman Alar and his company Parsek LLC, which reportedly supplied key missile materials and technologies to North Korea.

In total, the sanctions list includes seven Russian individuals and 13 organisations, including several banks. Conducting financial or currency transactions with them now requires Seoul's authorisation.

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that the sanctions were imposed in response to the statement issued on 16 December by Western foreign ministers condemning military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.

Background:

• Prior to this, the US Department of the Treasury added nine individuals and seven legal entities to its blacklist for providing financial and military support to North Korea and being involved in military aid to Russia.
• In recent months, confirmed reports have emerged that North Korea sent artillery shells and ballistic missiles to Russia and, more recently, even its own troops to fight against Ukraine.
• According to Ukrainian sources, North Korean troops already suffered their first battlefield casualties in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

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