The United States has slapped sanctions on a Chinese company and a Russian firm for allegedly lending a helping hand to North Korea in its development of nuclear weapons.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
In the latest wave of punitive measures on Thursday,... the United States sanctioned two companies in China and Russia for their alleged role in facilitating the North's nuclear weapons program.
The U.S. Department of Treasury said it's sanctioning China Silver Star,... which they say is "nominally a Chinese IT company, but in reality...managed and controlled by North Koreans."
Also sanctioned,... is the firm's CEO, Jong Song-hwa and its Russia-based front company, Volasys Silver Star.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the "actions are intended to stop the flow of illicit revenue to North Korea from overseas information technology workers disguising their true identities and hiding behind front companies, aliases, and third-party nationals."
He warned the IT industry, businesses, and individuals across the globe to take precautions to ensure they're not unwittingly hiring North Korean workers for technology projects,... reaffirming the U.S. will continue to enforce sanctions until the "final, fully verified denuclearization" of North Korea.
The U.S. Treasury says China Silver Star is linked to the North Korean ruling party's Munitions Industry Department,... which it says is responsible for overseeing the regime's ballistic missile program.
It's also said to be tied to the Korea Kuryonggang Trading Corporation,.. which is accused of being responsible for procuring commodities and technologies to support North Korea's defense research and development programs.
The latest sanctions call for blocking any property or interests of the designated entities and individuals within the U.S.,... as both companies are being sanctioned for their alleged role in exporting workers from North Korea.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.