South Korea and Japan today announced a series of sanctions imposed on individuals, organizations and ships linked to the alleged supplying Russia with weapons from North Korea in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that sanctions were imposed on seven North Korean individuals and two Russian vessels in connection with arms trade and other activities between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Russian ships have been transporting a large amount of containers of military supplies between Russia and North Korea, in clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions, the ministry said in a statement.
The US and South Korea have accused North Korea of transferring arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the accusations, but announced last year that they were deepening their relationship in the military sphere.
Japan also announced sanctions against 11 organizations and one individual, including Russian groups involved in military cooperation in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
„The supply of arms to Russia from North Korea violates UN resolutions that completely prohibit the transfer of arms and related materials to and from North Korea," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference.< /p>
According to South Korea's foreign ministry, in the period 2022–2023, a North Korean individual representing a state-controlled company in Syria held negotiations to promote arms trade with a Russian from the private military company “Wagner”. The ministry cited an annual report by the UN group of experts monitoring the isolated country.
Another person from a Russian-based company was involved in importing diesel from Russia to North Korea, the ministry said, accusing both of violating UN Security Council resolutions.
Another five North Koreans helped raise funds to support Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development by providing foreign currency earnings as IT professionals, the South Korean statement noted.
Last month, Russia described South Korea's sanctions against Russian individuals and entities as a “hostile move” and warned that he would respond in due course.
North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006 over its ballistic missile development program and nuclear program, and those measures have been strengthened over the years, Reuters noted.
Earlier this year, the UN panel of experts overseeing sanctions against North Korea failed to extend its mandate after a veto by Moscow, prompting the US and its allies to look for alternatives.