The Trump administration imposed new sanctions Friday on a Russian bank, two North Korean companies and one North Korean citizen for illegal financial activity.
The Treasury Department said the sanctions are a response for the entities “knowingly facilitating a significant transaction on behalf of an individual designated for weapons of mass destruction-related activities in connection with North Korea.”
The announcement came as President Trump continues to push North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to denuclearize, and to gain more cooperation such as the recent return of remains of dozens of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War.
The Russian-registered bank, AgrosoyuzCommercial Bank, was targeted for doing business with Han Jang Su, a North Korean described as the Moscow-based representative of Foreign Trade Bank, North Korea’s primary foreign exchange bank.
The two North Korean companies hit with new sanctions are described by Treasury as front companies for FTB.
“The United States will continue to enforce UN and U.S. sanctions and shut down illicit revenue streams to North Korea,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “Our sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully-verified denuclearization of North Korea.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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