The European Union has imposed new sanctions against North Korea for cooperation with Russia

The European Union has imposed sanctions on three people and four companies for supporting North Koreaʼs nuclear and missile programs, as well as cooperation with Russia.

This was reported by the Council of the EU.

In particular, a researcher at the North Korean National Aerospace Technology Administration Ri Song Jin and an official at the countryʼs Main Missile Directorate, was sanctioned. He worked in Russia as a technical specialist and trained Russians to use North Korean missiles.

Sanctions were also imposed on Russian development company “Samolet Group” and its CEO Anna Akishina. The company engaged workers from North Korea in construction projects in Vladivostok, in violation of UN sanctions.

The list also includes the founder of the Russian “Black Horse” holding company Vladimir Sokolov. He is accused of facilitating trade and industrial cooperation with the DPRK, in particular, in the implementation of a joint investment project in Primorsky Krai.

Among the companies under sanctions were also the shipping company “Paekyangsan Shipping”, whose ship transported petroleum products from Russia to the DPRK in circumvention of UN restrictions, and “Black Horse” subsidiary “Golden Autumn Agroholding”.

The sanctions include a ban on entry into the EU and an asset freeze. People and companies are also prohibited from providing funds and economic resources, directly or indirectly.

After this decision, the EUʼs sanctions list for the DPRK now includes 80 people and 25 companies. The EU Council stated that it is concerned about the deepening of military and economic cooperation between Russia and the DPRK.

In particular, it concerns the sending of North Korean military personnel to Russia, the employment of DPRK citizens, joint commercial projects and the exchange of weapons for oil.

• Today, EU foreign ministers also agreed on almost 1 600 new sanctions against the Russian military-industrial complex. This is the largest expansion of the sanctions list since the start of the full-scale war. More than half of the new sanctions target ballistic missile production chains.

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