Government Imposes Independent Sanctions on North Korean Arms Company CEO Involved in North Korea-Russia Weapon Trade

Lim Yeonghyeok and Others Involved in North Korea-Russia Arms Trade Negotiations
Russian Vessel Transporting Military Supplies Between North Korea Also Sanctioned

The government has imposed independent sanctions on seven North Koreans involved in North Korea-Russia arms transactions. Those listed in this sanctions list are understood to have been involved in transporting military supplies between North Korea and Russia, importing refined petroleum to North Korea, and financing nuclear and missile development.

On the 24th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that seven North Korean individuals, including Rim Yong-hyok, and two Russian vessels were designated as targets of independent sanctions against North Korea. A government official explained, "(The sanctioned individuals) violated United Nations Security Council sanctions and were involved in transporting military supplies and arms transactions between Russia and North Korea, importing refined petroleum to North Korea, and financing North Korea's nuclear and missile development through foreign currency earnings by North Korean overseas workers."

The North Koreans named on this sanctions list are Rim Yong-hyok, Han Hyok-chol, Kim Jong-gil, Jang Ho-young, Ri Kyong-sik, Ri Yong-min, and Park Kwang-hyok.

First, Rim Yong-hyok, who served as the representative of the "Chosun Mining Development Trading Company" stationed in Syria, was involved in North Korea-Russia arms transactions. The Chosun Mining Development Trading Company is a North Korean state-owned arms company designated as a target of UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea in April 2009, dealing with ballistic missiles and conventional weapons. The UN Security Council Sanctions Committee expert panel described in its annual report published in March this year that the government obtained information that Rim Yong-hyok negotiated with Russians affiliated with the Wagner Group from 2022 until October last year to facilitate arms transfers between North Korea and Russia.

Han Hyok-chol is the representative of "Taeryong Trading" based in Vladivostok, Russia. He was investigated to have been involved in importing Russian diesel fuel into North Korea while acting on behalf of Seungri San Trading, which the South Korean government designated as a target of independent sanctions in October 2022.

Fuel is an essential resource for nuclear and missile development, and the international community limited the amount of fuel imported into North Korea to 4 million barrels of crude oil and 500,000 barrels of refined petroleum annually through UN Security Council Resolution 2397 in 2017. However, according to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee expert panel, North Korea is estimated to have imported more than 1.5 million barrels of refined petroleum from January to September last year, three times the annual quota. The South Korean government judges that North Korea continues to evade international sanctions through various methods, including using illegal transshipment networks.

Additionally, Kim Jong-gil, Jang Ho-young, Ri Kyong-sik, Ri Yong-min, and Park Kwang-hyok are affiliated with the Myeongan Company under the North Korean Military Industry Department. They were investigated to have illegally stayed in Vladivostok, Russia, and financed the Military Industry Department’s nuclear and missile development through IT foreign currency earning activities.

The two Russian vessels sanctioned together are understood to have transported military supplies between Russia and North Korea while carrying large quantities of containers. Military cooperation such as North Korea-Russia arms transactions violates Security Council resolutions, and the government criticized this as an act that seriously threatens peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but worldwide. It has also urged the international community to immediately halt illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.

A government official stated, "This measure was taken in close cooperation with allied countries," and added, "We expect it to contribute to tightening the international community’s sanctions network."