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| China-Japan-Koreas | |
| U.S. announces additional sanctions on N. Korea | |
| 2010-08-31 | |
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- The United States Monday blacklisted several more North Korean entities and North Korean citizens for their involvement in weapons of mass destruction and other activities banned by U.N. resolutions. U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order to "expand the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 of June 26, 2008," to reinforce existing sanctions on North Korea. The U.S. currently blacklists more than 20 North Korean entities and individuals. Among the five North Korean entities and four North Korean individuals newly listed by executive orders 13466 and 13382 are "Office 39" of the North's ruling Workers Party, believed to manage slush funds for North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, and Ri Je-son and Ri Hong-Sop of the General Bureau of Atomic Energy. Also on the list are the Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea's premiere intelligence organization, suspected of being involved in the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan, and Green Pine Associated Corp., the Korea Taesong Trading Co. and Korea Heungjin Trading Co. The new executive order takes note of the "unprovoked attack" on the Cheonan, which resulted in the deaths of 46 sailors in March, and North Korea's nuclear and missile tests, which "destabilize the Korean peninsula and imperil U.S. Armed Forces, allies, and trading partners in the region." It also cites North Korean actions in violation of Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874, "including the procurement of luxury goods; and its illicit and deceptive activities in international markets through which it obtains financial and other support, including money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking." Robert Einhorn, the State Department's special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control who oversees U.S. sanctions on North Korea and Iran, visited Seoul early this month and is likely to fly to Beijing early next month to seek Chinese support for new sanctions on North Korea and Iran. The sanctions on North Korea are seen as less stringent than those on Iran, as Washington did not embody them in laws as it did with Iran. Some analysts say the U.S. is looking for a way to end the showdown with North Korea over the Cheonan incident, noting that in 2005 Washington had difficulty unfreezing US$25 million in North Korean assets at Macau's Banco Delta Asia due to technical matters. That significantly delayed the resumption of the six-party talks at the time.
Beijing is considered a key to effective sanctions on Pyongyang because it is a lifeline to its impoverished communist neighbor, providing fuel, food and other necessities. China has been reluctant to slap sanctions on North Korea, focusing instead on reviving the six-party nuclear talks. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 It's Double Secret Probation for you mister. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-08-31 10:29 |
| #1 So we're not really serious ... Dashed hopes and all. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-08-31 02:25 |