Americas

Americas

UN adds three DPRK companies on sanctions list

03 May 2012 01:46 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The UN Security Council has decided to impose sanctions on three companies of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) following its failed rocket launch last month, Susan Rice, the U.S. permanent representative to the UN, announced here Wednesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"This morning, the 1718 committee, the North Korean Sanctions Committee, has reached an agreement on a new set of sanctions as a consequence of their missile launch a few weeks ago," Rice told reporters outside the chamber of the UN Security Council.

"These new sanctions include the designation of, and the freezing of assets of three very significant North Korean entities, very much involved in their illicit missile and nuclear programs," said the U.S. diplomat.

The sanctions, which were initially adopted in 2006, were originally to enforce a series of restrictions on the DPRK in the economic and nuclear testing areas.

According to Rice, the newly revised set of sanctions "includes the updating of the missile technology control regime list, and the nuclear suppliers group list, which we viewed as very important to tightening and keeping current the important regime against North Korea, and it also entails a new work plan for the panel of experts."

Rice expressed a positive outlook toward the new set of sanctions, saying "we view this as a strong and credible set of sanctions by the 1718 Committee and we’re pleased with that result as well."

On Feb. 29, the DPRK agreed to allow foreign inspectors to return to the country under the imposed cessation on nuclear tests and long-range missile launches. In exchange the U.S. agreed to provide about 240,000 tonnes of food aid.

On April 12, the DPRK launched a satellite, allegedly using ballistic technology banned by the UN Security Council resolutions, disregarding the calls from international leaders to cease all efforts to do so.