The United States on Wednesday imposed financial sanctions on five North Koreans linked to Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction program, after its latest ballistic missile attacks.
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"
The latest missile fire from North Korea is further evidence that it continues to expand its banned programs despite calls from the international community for diplomacy and denuclearization
," an undersecretary said. US Treasury Brian Nelson in a statement.
The five people targeted by these sanctions are presented as "
responsible for supplying
" North Korea with goods for its "
weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs
."
One of them, Choe Myong Hyon, is based in Russia and is linked to a North Korean institution already sanctioned for his involvement in the development of weapons by the reclusive country.
The other four, Sim Kwang Sok, Kim Song Hun, Kang Chol Hak and Pyon Kwang Chol, linked to this same institution, are based in China.
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"The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction"
At the same time, the US Treasury sanctioned the North Korean O Yong Ho, the Russian Roman Anatolievich Alar and the Russian entity Parsek for "
activities or transactions which have materially contributed to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
" by Korea .
North.
The possible assets of all these people in the United States are frozen and their access to the American financial system will be blocked.
Pyongyang said it successfully tested a hypersonic missile this week for the third time since September.
Washington condemned Tuesday's shooting, saying it violates UN resolutions and constitutes a "
threat
" to "
the international community
".