Major countries report implementing sanctions against North Korea

Aug 20, 2009, 19:32 GMT

New York - The United States and China are among scores of countries that have reported as of Thursday having implemented UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea for continuing its prohibited nuclear activities.

The chairman of the council's panel on North Korean sanctions told reporters that many governments have reported their cooperation with Resolution 1874, which the council adopted in June to impose a set of comprehensive measures against the Pyongyang regime.

'The cooperation by governments has been very good and satisfactory,' said Fazli Corman, Turkey's deputy ambassador at the UN.

Corman briefed the 15-nation council on the panel's work on carrying out the resolution. He said the work was complete, including the naming in July of five companies, four of which are North Korean, that are are subject to UN sanctions because of their links to Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missiles activities.

UN sanctions were also imposed on five North Korean individuals for their participation in their country's nuclear programmes.

The United States reported to the UN sanctions panel that it has appointed Ambassador Philip Goldberg to coordinate US implementation of the sanctions.

It said it has carried out interdiction of North Korean aircraft and vessels to prevent imports by North Korea of goods and materials banned by the UN sanctions. Washington began the interdiction by sea and air back in 2006 after Pyongyang tested its first nuclear device. Pyongyang exploded a second bomb in May this year, prompting the UN council to strengthen its sanctions in June.

The UN council has authorized interdiction by sea, land and air of aircraft or vessels suspected of carrying banned weapons, nuclear technology and materials to North Korea. It also authorized the freezing of assets and resources belonging to individuals or companies that have a link with Pyongyang's nuclear programmes.

China and South Korea also sent reports to the UN sanctions panel detailing steps taken to implement the sanctions.

But China has taken a more cautious approach to the implementation of the sanctions, saying that governments should refrain from 'interpreting or expanding the scope of sanctions, and should make even greater efforts to avoid resorting to military force or threats to use military force.'

China and South Korea have been cautious in implementing the interdiction to avoid confrontation with their neighbour North Korea.

South Korea said in a report to the UN sanctions panel that steps will be taken to inspect and seize cargoif there are 'reasonable grounds' to believe aircraft or ships are carrying banned goods or nuclear materials to North Korea. Aircraft suspected of carrying banned goods to North Korea will not be allowed to use South Korean airspace, Seoul said.

The five companies singled out by the UN panel for sanctions are Namchongang Trading Company, Hong Kong Electronics, Korea Hyoksin Trading Corporation, General Bureau of Atomic Energy and Korean Tangun Trading Corporation.

Hong Kong Electronics is based in Kish Island, Iran, while the other four companies are in North Korea.

The five North Korean individuals subject to sanctions are: Yun Ho-jin, director of Namchongang Trading Company; Ri Je-son and Hwang Suk-Hwa, directors of separate departments in the General Bureau of Atomic Energy; RiHong-sop, former director of Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center; and Han Yu-ro, director of Korea Ryongaksan General Trading Corporation.

The panel said the Hong Kong Electronics had transferred 'millions of dollars of proliferation-related funds' on behalf of Tanchon Commercial Bank and a North Korean company known as KOMID.

Assets belonging the companies and individuals were ordered frozen and the five individuals were banned from travelling abroad.