The United States announced Friday sanctions on seven entities, including two from North Korea, for transferring missile and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) material to Iran.
The sanctions became effective July 28 and will be observed for two years, a notice in the Federal Register said.
The Korean Mining and Industrial Development Corporation (KOMID) and the Korea Pugang Trading Corporation were named as entities that violated the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000, which provides penalties for transferring equipment and technology that contribute to the development of ballistic missile systems and WMD in Iran.
Both KOMID and Pugang have previously been designated WMD proliferators by U.S. executive orders in June and October last year, and their U.S.-based assets were frozen. The Tanchon Commerce Bank, a KOMID financial arm, is the subject of separate punitive measures imposed by the U.S. Treasury in September on a Macau bank accused of laundering money for North Korea.
The latest sanctions were also imposed on Balaji Amines and Prachi Poly Products of India, the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of Cuba, and Rosoboronexport and Sukhoi of Russia.
These measures taken by the State Department bar U.S. government agencies from entering into any procurement contract with the named entities for any goods, technology or services.
The restrictions will remain in place for two years or until the secretary of state determines otherwise.
The U.S. Senate unanimously adopted the North Korea Nonproliferation Act of 2006 on July 26, allowing for the same kind of sanctions for entities that engage in missile and WMD transfers with the communist state as with Iran.
Washington, Aug. 4 (Yonhap News)
U.S. sanctions N.K. and other entities for transferring arms to Iran |
