Government imposes independent sanctions on 11 North Korean officials leading North Korea's military reconnaissance satellite program

Korea Aerospace Research Institute Leads North Korean Military Satellite Launch
Including Ryongseong Machinery Union Enterprise Manager

The government independently sanctioned 11 North Koreans involved in satellite development, material procurement, and ballistic missile research and development on the 1st, in response to North Korea's third military reconnaissance satellite launch.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in a press release on the same day, stating, "We will actively respond to North Korea's illegal activities, including the so-called military reconnaissance satellite launches that threaten security."

The sanctions targets include four officials from the National Aerospace Development Administration who led North Korea's military reconnaissance satellite 'Manlilyeong 1' and its carrier rocket 'Chollima 1' launch on the 21st of last month. They are Deputy Director Ri Cheol-ju and affiliated personnel Kim In-beom, Ko Kwan-young, and Choi Myung-soo.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Also, Kang Seon, the manager of Ryongsong Machinery Combined Enterprise, was added to the sanctions list. Ryongsong Machinery Combined Enterprise is one of North Korea's leading machinery manufacturing companies and is also linked to the military industry. The government specified that these individuals were involved in satellite development, related material procurement, and weapons development. Additionally, Kim Yong-hwan, director of the 727 Research Institute, Choi Il-hwan and Choi Myung-chul, deputy directors of the Military Industry Department, Kim Chun-gyo, a major general in the People's Army, Choi Byung-wan, manager of Taesong Machinery General Factory, and Jin Su-nam, trade secretary at the North Korean Embassy in Russia, who participated in ballistic missile research, development, and operation, were included in the sanctions list.

The 727 Research Institute, known as a missile research and development institution, has rarely appeared in North Korean media until now. Jin Su-nam, who also uses the name Shin Su-nam, has a history of acting on behalf of the state-owned insurance company Choson Minjok Insurance General Company and is listed on the European Union (EU) sanctions list. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among the sanctioned individuals, except for Jin Su-nam, the other 10 were designated by South Korea as sanctions targets for the first time in the world.

Korean nationals must obtain prior approval from the Governor of the Bank of Korea or the Financial Services Commission to conduct foreign exchange or financial transactions with the designated individuals or institutions under sanctions. Transactions without permission may be punished according to relevant laws. On the same day, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also announced independent sanctions against the North Korean hacker group 'Kimsuky' under the Reconnaissance General Bureau's Third Bureau (Technical Reconnaissance Bureau) and eight North Korean nationals, including Kang Kyung-il and Seo Myung.

Japan also imposed sanctions on five individuals and four organizations, and Australia sanctioned seven individuals and one organization. Although South Korea, the U.S., and Japan have previously announced coordinated sanctions against North Korea in December last year and September this year, this is the first time Australia has joined them. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs evaluated, "Australia's first participation shows the international community's strengthened will not to tolerate North Korea's repeated provocations."

The hacking group Kimsuky, sanctioned by South Korea in June, was included in the U.S. OFAC sanctions this time, highlighting a clear trend of allied countries imposing overlapping sanctions on the same targets. Although it is practically difficult to push for new sanctions at the United Nations Security Council due to opposition from China and Russia, the government believes that tightening the sanctions net through overlapping independent sanctions by allied countries can produce some effect.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.