Seoul imposes sanctions on satellite tech reaching Pyongyang via third countries

South Korea has announced new sanctions on North Korea (‘DPRK’), saying it was banning the re-export of satellite-related technologies to DPRK through third countries in response to a ‘parade of provocations’.

The move is aimed at prohibiting DPRK from circumventing UN Security Council sanctions – Pyongyang said it plans to put a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit in spring, South Korea’s semi-official Yonhap news agency said.

A total of 77 items used for the satellite system have been placed on a watch list, including ‘optical payload components,’ the country’s foreign ministry said. Yonhap said the list includes such things as solar cell laydowns, coarse sun sensor assemblies, star trackers, image data handling units, X-band transmitters and control moment gyro actuation units.

The ministry said it has shared the list of banned items with other nations ‘so that they can use it for their export controls on the North.’

According to the ministry, South Korea has imposed additional ‘independent sanctions’ on four individuals and several institutions involved in Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear weapons programmes as well as in sanctions evasion. 

It identified the four designated individuals as:

• Ri Yong Gil: A senior party official and former defence minister; 
• Kim Su Gil: A former general and Political Bureau chief; 
• Jong Song Hwa: Head of an IT company linked to Pyongyang’s munitions and industry ministry;
• Tan Wee Beng: A national of Singapore, and his companies Wee Tiong Pte. Ltd. and WT Marine Pte. Ltd., for money laundering and smuggling to help North Korea evade sanctions.

The ministry said that new sanctions were also imposed on North Korea’s Central Prosecutors’ Office, the animation firm SEK Studio (sanctioned by Washington in Dec. 2021), China-based Beijing Sukbakso and North Korean firm Korea Cholsan General Trading Corporation.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have grown further since the United States and South Korea launched their ‘Freedom Shield’ military exercises recently. Pyongyang fired a short-range ballistic missile towards the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula in response, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un threatening to use nuclear weapons unless the US and South Korea stop their ‘open hostility’ toward Pyongyang.

https://www.mofa.go.kr/www/brd/m_4080/view.do?seq=373486&page=1