US sanctions 2 individuals, 1 entity over alleged connections to DPRK
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The Treasury Department said that the US took action in response to the DPRK's attempt on August 23 to launch a reconnaissance satellite into orbit.
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US Treasury Building in Washington, DC on November 15, 2011. (AFP)
The US, South Korea, and Japan imposed new sanctions on a Russian company and two individuals, including one Russian national, for their alleged involvement in the DPRK's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs, the US Treasury Department alleged on Thursday.
"In coordination with the Republic of Korea and Japan, the United States sanctioned two individuals and one entity — Jon Jin Yong, Sergey Mikhaylovich Kozlov, and Intellekt LLC — involved in generating revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) unlawful development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missiles," the Treasury Department said in a press release.
The Treasury Department said that the US took action in response to the DPRK's attempt on August 23 to launch a reconnaissance satellite into orbit.
It further alleged in a separate statement that both men were involved in activities that generated revenue for the DPRK's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.
Read more: Japan Army can't protect country, US nuclear arms needed: Top General
The US sanctioned Jon Jin Yong for being an official of the Workers' Party of Korea, and Kozlov for providing him with material assistance, the statement read, adding that the two allegedly collaborated in Moscow to purchase supplies for the shipbuilding industry.
It further alleged that Kozlov helped Jon Jin Yong obtain identification documents for his DPRK IT team in Russia. Some of the identification documents belonged to family members of Kozlov's employees.
The two men are also accused of coordinating a construction project in Moscow between Kozlov's company Intellekt LLC and a SANS front company.
Read more: US envoy to UN calls on the DPRK to accept an offer for dialogue
Earlier this week, the DPRK's Ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, stressed that Pyongyang exercised its right to self-defense with its latest satellite launch attempt.
"Our launch of the reconnaissance satellite is an exercise of the right to self-defense," Kim stressed during a UN Security Council meeting on Pyongyang's latest satellite launch attempt.
The DPRK's goal is to build its self-defense capability, Kim indicated, pointing out that the satellite launch did not cause any harm to the security of its neighboring country.
Last week, the DPRK announced it would make a third attempt in October to launch a reconnaissance satellite after its second failed.
