Download Announcement(final) - Ministry of Unification

(Unofficial Translation)
Announcement of Unilateral Sanction Measures against North Korea
by the ROK Government
March 8, 2016
Fellow Koreans,
In spite of the opposition and warning by the ROK Government and the
international community, North Korea carried out a fourth nuclear test and
subsequently launched a long-range missile. This is a direct challenge to peace
and stability on the Korean Peninsula and indeed the whole world, and the
international community is seeking firm countermeasures.
As part of such measures, on March 3 (March 2 New York time) the UN
Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2270, which is the strongest
and most effective non-military sanction resolution ever.
This resolution has drastically strengthened sanction measures under existing
UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea in the area of arms trade,
designation of targeted sanctions, marine and aerial transport, foreign trade, and
financial transactions. It also comprehensively includes new strong sanction
measures which can have a serious impact on North Korea in various ways such
as a ban on trade in minerals including coal and gold.
This is clear demonstration of the international community’s firm resolve that
North Korea’s provocations such as nuclear tests and long-range missile
launches will no longer be tolerated and that North Korea’s wrong calculations
must be totally changed by making it face strict consequences for its
provocations.
The ROK Government, by fully implementing Resolution 2270, will play a
leading role in putting the international community’s firm resolve, into action.
On the day this resolution was adopted, the ROK Government convened a
meeting between the relevant ministries and began to draw up plans for a full
implementation of Resolution 2270. On a basis of close cooperation with the
relevant ministries, the ROK Government will swiftly take necessary measures
for implementation and submit a report to the UN Security Council on the
implementation of the resolution as soon as possible.
The ROK Government, as the party directly concerned in the North Korean
nuclear and missile issue, is playing a leading role in tightening the international
community’s sanctions on North Korea. In this regard, the ROK Government is
taking all necessary measures to make North Korea change through the full
implementation of robust and effective UN Security Council sanctions,
unilateral sanctions by major countries including the U.S. and Japan, and
pressure by the international community on North Korea.
Since 2010 the ROK Government, through the May 24 Measures, has been
enforcing comprehensive sanctions on North Korea including the prohibition of
inbound and outbound shipments of goods between the ROK and North Korea,
prohibition of North Korean vessels from sailing in ROK waters, and not
permitting new investments in North Korea.
On February 10 the ROK Government decided to completely shut down the
Gaeseong Industrial Complex and declared that it will seek for additional
sanction measures on North Korea in cooperation with the international
community. Today, the ROK Government has decided to take the following
measures in order to further strengthen unilateral sanctions on North Korea.
First, the ROK Government will drastically expand the designation of
targeted financial sanctions related to North Korea.
By designating a total of 40 individuals and 30 entities as targeted sanctions
including 38 individuals and 24 entities of North Korea responsible for WMD
development and 2 individuals and 6 entities of third countries indirectly
supporting North Korea, the ROK Government will prohibit their financial and
foreign exchange transactions with Korean nationals and freeze their assets in
the ROK.
Second, the ROK Government will further strengthen control over
shipping related to North Korea.
The ROK Government will not allow any foreign vessels to enter a ROK port
within 180 days after docking in a North Korean port. Furthermore, it will
continue to ban a third country’s vessel from serving the route between the
ROK and North Korea. It will also prohibit North Korean vessels flying a third
country’s flag of convenience from entering its ports.
Third, the ROK Government will strengthen control over imports and
exports related to North Korea.
The ROK Government will fully implement existing sanction measures on
North Korea including strengthening on-the-spot crackdowns and control over
the inbound and outbound shipments between the ROK and North Korea to
prevent North Korean goods from being imported while disguised as third
country products.
In addition, the ROK Government will establish effective standards for export
controls which take unique aspects of North Korea’s WMD development into
consideration. Because items which are not subject to international controls are
also being used in North Korea’s WMD development, the ROK Government
will draw up a watch-list tailored to North Korea and take a leading role in the
implementation by UN member states of the UN Security Council sanction
resolutions regarding import and export controls.
Fourth, the ROK Government will continue to encourage Korean people,
including overseas Koreans, to refrain from visiting commercial facilities
related to North Korea such as overseas North Korean restaurants.
North Korea’s commercial facilities such as overseas restaurants are one of
its sources of foreign currency so the ROK Government asks the Korean people
to refrain from visiting such facilities during overseas travel.
These measures by the ROK Government together with Resolution 2270 are
expected to increase awareness of the risk of transactions with North Korean
and third country individuals or entities related to North Korea’s WMD
development, and to greatly contribute to blocking all suspicious inbound and
outbound shipment related to North Korea.
The ROK Government, in close cooperation with the international
community, will continue its efforts of pressuring and sanctioning North Korea
to create an environment in which North Korea has no choice but to change. We
ask the support of the Korean people for such efforts by the government.
Thank you.
Minister for Government Policy Coordination
(Office of the Government Policy Coordination, Ministry of Strategy and
Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of
Oceans and Fisheries, Financial Supervisory Commission) /END/