South Korea on Friday imposed its 14th round of unilateral sanctions against North Korean individuals and organizations, this time including those allegedly involved in arms trafficking and cyber activity, including the head of North Korean intelligence, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said.
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The sanctions are reported to be in response to North Korea’s test launch of the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile on December 18, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
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Seoul sanctioned eight individuals linked to cyberactivity and arms trafficking, including intelligence agency chief Ri Chang-ho, whose organization is allegedly behind the activities of North Korean hacker groups such as Kimsuky, Lazarus and Andariel. According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, these groups earn foreign currency for the DPRK and steal technology through “illegal cyber activities.”
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Also on the list are the director of Beijing New Technology Park Yong Han, a former employee of the North Korean Embassy in China Yun Chol and employees of Pan Systems Pyongyang Ryan Soo Nyo, Kim Seung Soo, Bae Won Chol, Ri Sin Song, Kim Byung Chol. All of them are allegedly, to one degree or another, involved in the DPRK trade in weapons or prohibited materials.
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This package of sanctions is the 14th of its kind during the government of President Yoon Seok-yeol. In total, 83 North Korean citizens and 53 institutions have already been sanctioned.
