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U.S. designates six N. Koreans over WMD, ballistic missile programs

All News 01:26 January 13, 2022

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Wednesday that it is designating six North Korean individuals related to North Korea's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs.

The Department of Treasury said it is designating five North Korean individuals -- one based in Russia and four in China -- for illegally procuring materials for the North's WMD and ballistic missile programs.

It said the State Department was designating an additional North Korean individual based in Russia for a similar reason.

"Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated five Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) individuals responsible for procuring goods for the DPRK's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile-related programs," the department said in a press release, referring to North Korea by its official name.

"These actions are in line with U.S. efforts to prevent the advancement of the DPRK's WMD and ballistic missile programs and impede attempts by Pyongyang to proliferate related technologies. They also follow the DPRK's six ballistic missile launches since September 2021, each of which violated multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions," it added.

This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central Television on Jan. 12, 2022, shows what the North claims to be a new hypersonic missile being launched the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central Television on Jan. 12, 2022, shows what the North claims to be a new hypersonic missile being launched the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

North Korea claims to have successfully test fired a new hypersonic missile in September, a second last Wednesday and a third test yet again this week.

It said the overseas North Korean representatives are responsible for "illegally" procuring goods for weapons.

"The DPRK's latest missile launches are further evidence that it continues to advance prohibited programs despite the international community's calls for diplomacy and denuclearization," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson was quoted as saying.

The State Department also designated a North Korean national and one Russian national, along with a Russian entity -- Parsek LLC -- for having engaged in activities that have "materially contributed to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery by DPRK," the treasury said.

State department spokesperson Ned Price said on Tuesday that the U.S. has a number of tools to hold North Korea accountable for its actions and that it will continue to call on those tools.

He, however, said the U.S. also remains committed to dialogue and diplomacy with North Korea and that it will be ready to engage with the North whenever Pyongyang is willing to do so.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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