The Treasury Department said on Tuesday that new sanctions have been implemented against two senior North Korea officials involved with the development of weapons in the country.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin noted that this action was part of the “maximum pressure” campaign that Trump has put in motion in order to isolate North Korea and make it sit on the negotiating table.
“Treasury is targeting leaders of North Korea’s ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate the DPRK and achieve a fully denuclearized Korean Peninsula,” Mnuchin commented.
“These actions follow Friday’s United Nations Security Council Resolution, which imposed strong new sanctions on North Korea further shutting down its ability to raise illicit funds.”
The decision was made by The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), voting this Friday that increased sanctions against North Korea should be issued.
According to The Hill, the two North Korean officials, Kim Jong Sik and Ri Pyong Chol, are involved with WPK Munitions Industry Department, which oversees North Korea’s ballistic missile development.
The Trump administration applauded the decision to impose new sanctions on the dictatorship regime.
“It sends the unambiguous message to Pyongyang that further defiance will invite further punishments and isolation,” U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said after the vote.
North Korea’s government, however, called the new sanctions an “act of war.”
“We define this ‘sanctions resolution’ rigged up by the U.S. and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our Republic, as an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and the region and categorically reject the ‘resolution,’ ” a statement from North Korea’s foreign ministry said.”
Despite the international pressure and the exchange of words with President Donald Trump North Korea is not showing any signs of backing down from their development of nuclear arsenal.
Be the first to comment