Seoul, Jul 14 (IANS): South Korea on Friday imposed unilateral sanctions on four North Korean individuals, including Pyongyang's top military officer, and three entities in response to the North's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this week, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said.
The move came two days after North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM under the guidance of leader Kim Jong-un despite international condemnation over its recent missile launches, reports Yonhap News Agency.
"In response to North Korea's long-range ballistic missile launch that threatens the peace and safety of the Korean Peninsula and the international society, the government has decided to impose unilateral sanctions against four individuals and three organisations involved in nuclear and missile developments and funding," the foreign ministry said.
The four individuals are former and incumbent high-ranking officials, including Jong Kyong-thaek, director of the General Political Bureau of the North's Korean People's Army, and Pak Kwang-ho, former director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the ruling Workers' Party.
They also designated Hwang Kil-su and Pak Hwa-song, along with their business Congo Aconde SARL, which they established in Congo to earn revenue from building statues and other construction projects.
The three entities newly added to the list include Chilsong Trading Corp. and Korea Paekho Trading Corp., a trading firm under North Korea's Ministry of Defence involved in illegally financing the regime through art and construction projects in Africa and the Middle East since the 1980s.
"We have been very clear in saying North Korea's provocations will be met with consequences," the Ministry said in a statement.
"Our government will continue to strengthen close cooperation with the international community, including the US and Japan, so that North Korea can realize this fact, cease all tension-escalating activities and come back to denuclearisation talks."
The announcement marks Seoul's 10th unilateral sanctions measure against the North since the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration in May last year.
A total of 49 individuals and 50 agencies have been added to the sanctions list since he came to office.