In April, North Korea tested a new medium-range solid-fuel ballistic rocket, the Hwasong-16B, equipped with a newly developed hypersonic glide warhead, at an undisclosed location in North Korea. The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday announced a set of sanctions against six individuals and five entities with ties to China for their involvement in procuring items to bolster North Korea’s ballistic missile and space programs. EPA-EFE’s North Korea Central News Agency
July 24 (UPI) — The Treasury Department announced a series of sanctions against six individuals and five entities with ties to China for their role in procuring items to bolster North Korea’s ballistic missile and space programs.
North Korea is under UN restrictions over its missile programme and has come under increased scrutiny after recently signing a military arms deal with Russia to back its invasion of Ukraine.
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The Treasury Department announced that it had imposed sanctions on Shi Qianpei for aiding Cui Min, who was already subject to U.S. sanctions, and also named Du Jiaxin, Wang Dongliang, Chen Tianxin and Shi Anhui for aiding Shi Qianpei.
Also targeted were Chinese businessman Han Dejian and his metal alloy plate manufacturer, Yidatong Tianjin Metal Materials Co. Authorities also sanctioned Beijing Sanshunda Co. and Beijing Jinghua Qidi Co. for their ties to Chen Tianxin.
Both Qidong Hengcheng and Shenzhen People’s Well were targeted for sanctions due to their ties to Anhui.
“North Korea’s continued development and proliferation of ballistic missile technology in violation of UN sanctions is irresponsible and destabilizing to both the region and the international community,” Brian Nelson, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Treasury Department, said in a statement.
“The United States remains committed to using our tools to enforce these international sanctions, including disrupting the illicit procurement networks that provide critical information for these technologies and holding accountable those who attempt to enable these activities.”
The Treasury Department said Han Dejian and Idaton had already been sanctioned by the State Department in May for allegedly violating the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nuclear Nonproliferation Act.
In a separate statement issued late Wednesday afternoon, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller noted that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues to violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions, specifically pointing to its most recent failed attempt to launch a military satellite into orbit in May.
“Furthermore, North Korea has supplied ballistic missiles to the Russian Federation, and Russia continues to target civilian populations and infrastructure in Ukraine,” Miller said. “The United States will continue to take all necessary steps to expose and disrupt North Korea’s illicit weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, as well as the network that supports the reckless proliferation of weapons that destabilize the region and enable Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine.”
