Treasury freezes assets of N. Korea’s National Defense Commission, No. 2 official Hwang Pyong-so

Within minutes of the U.N. Security Council’s approval of Resolution 2270, a very good friend and Democratic House staffer forwarded me this notice from the Treasury Department. (My transparent attempt to suck up to the next majority party in our budding idiocracy, now that the party that gave us Todd Akin, Christine O’Donnell, and Sarah Palin has found an equally qualified presidential candidate. But I digress.)

As it turns out, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, was ready to launch designations of five North Korean entities and ten individuals for proliferation-related activities, which means their dollar-denominated assets are now frozen. The entities are the Academy of National Defense Science, the Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry, the National Aerospace Development Administration, the National Defense Commission, and the Workers’ Party Central Military Commission.

OFAC designated the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Military Commission and the National Defense Commission pursuant to E.O. 13687 for being agencies, instrumentalities, or controlled entities of the Government of North Korea or the Workers’ Party of Korea.  The Central Military Commission is responsible for the development and implementation of the Workers’ Party of Korea’s military policies, commands and controls the North Korean military, and directs the country’s military defense industries in coordination with the National Defense Commission.  The National Defense Commission is North Korea’s highest branch of government and the country’s supreme policymaking organization, and it directs and guides all military, defense, and security-related affairs, including policies, planning, acquisition and procurement, and personnel.  Kim Jong Un, in his role as first chairman of the North Korean National Defense Commission, ordered the January 6, 2016 nuclear test. [U.S. Dep’t of Treasury]

His Porcine Majesty still isn’t designated, but keep reading for more on that. Most of the individuals (as suggested by the fact that we know their passport numbers) would appear to be retail arms dealers and proliferators. Unlike with previous rounds of designations, however, Treasury also served some big fish with the small fry, including Hwang Pyong-so.

OFAC designated Hwang Pyong So, O Kuk Ryol, Pak Yong Sik, and Ri Yong Mu pursuant to E.O. 13687 for being officials of the Government of North Korea and/or of the Workers’ Party of Korea.  Hwang Pyong So is a Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a member of the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Military Commission, a director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army, and a Vice Marshal of the Korean People’s Army.

O Kuk Ryol is a Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission, an alternate member of the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee Political Bureau, and a General of the Korean People’s Army.  O Kuk Ryol was previously designated by the State Department on March 11, 2013, pursuant to E.O. 13382 for ordering the establishment of a nuclear research and development organization directly under his control.  Pak Yong Sik is Minister of the People’s Armed Forces, a General of the Korean People’s Army, and a member of the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Military Commission.  Ri Yong Mu is a Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a member of the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee Political Bureau, and a Vice Marshal of the Korean People’s Army.

In conjunction with their listing in UNSCR 2270, OFAC designated Ri Man Gon and Yu Chol U pursuant to E.O. 13687 for being officials of the Government of North Korea.  Ri Man Gon is the Director of the Munitions Industry Department.  The Munitions Industry Department, also sanctioned in UNSCR 2270, is U.S. designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 and responsible for overseeing the development of North Korea’s ballistic missiles, including the Taepo Dong-2.  Yu Chol U is the Director of the National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA).  NADA is an institution of the Government of North Korea that organizes all of its space development projects.  The international community has made clear its concern that any launch by North Korea that uses ballistic missile technology contributes to the North Korean Government’s development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and is a violation of multiple UNSCRs.

Additionally, OFAC designated Pak Chun Il pursuant to E.O. 13687, for being an official of the Government of North Korea.  Pak Chun Il is North Korea’s Ambassador to Egypt and provides support to North Korea’s Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID).  KOMID was identified by the President in the Annex to E.O. 13382 and designated pursuant to E.O. 13687.  It was also designated by the UNSC pursuant to UNSCR 1718.  KOMID is North Korea’s premier arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons. [….]

Separately, OFAC designated two individuals, Kim Song Chol and Son Jong Hyok, pursuant to E.O. 13382 for acting for or on behalf of KOMID.  Kim Song Chol and Son Jong Hyok are KOMID officials located in Egypt and have conducted business in Sudan on behalf of KOMID’s interests.

In conjunction with his listing in UNSCR 2270, OFAC designated Hyon Kwang Il, pursuant to E.O. 13382, for acting for or on behalf of NADA.  Hyon Kwang Il is the Department Director for NADA.

Hey, it’s a start, after seven years of generally pretending North Korea didn’t exist. You can read the complete list of the designations here.

These actions by the U.S. government complement and help implement United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2270, and hold the Government of North Korea responsible for its continued illicit pursuit of nuclear and missile programs, as evidenced by its January 6, 2016 nuclear test and February 7, 2016 missile launch.

“Today the United Nations Security Council approved a historic Resolution which included key designations against North Korea, and the United States issued sanctions also targeting supporters of this repressive regime.  Together, these actions reflect a strong and unified response to North Korea’s provocative, destabilizing, and dangerous activities,” said Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew. “Our coordinated efforts send a clear message: the global community will not tolerate North Korea’s illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and there will be serious consequences until it modifies its reckless behavior.”

The designations were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, which targets WMD proliferators and their supporters, as well as E.O. 13687, which targets the Government of North Korea, the Workers’ Party of Korea, and their supporters.  All assets of those listed today that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with these persons.

Today’s sanctions complement H.R. 757 “North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016,” which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on February 18, 2016.  This legislation strengthens and expands sanctions on North Korea, and the Administration is committed to using these new authorities alongside other sanctions tools to increase the costs of North Korea’s destructive policy choices and to combat North Korea’s proliferation activities.