May 2 (Reuters) – A U.N. Security Council committee on
Wednesday added three “very significant” North Korean state
companies to a U.N. blacklist of firms banned from international
trade in response to Pyongyang’s recent rocket launch.
The Security Council imposed two rounds of sanctions on
Pyongyang after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests. Prior to
Wednesday’s additions there were eight North Korean firms and
five individuals under U.N. sanctions, which include asset
freezes and travel bans.
The new companies listed are:
AMROGGANG DEVELOPMENT BANKING CORPORATION
Established in 2006, Amroggang is a Tanchon Commercial
Bank-related company managed by Tanchon officials.
Tanchon was blacklisted by the U.N. Security Council
committee in 2009 because it is North Korea’s main financial
entity for sales of conventional arms, ballistic missiles and
goods related to the assembly and manufacture of such weapons.
GREEN PINE ASSOCIATED CORPORATION
Green Pine has taken over many of the activities of the
Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation, which was
blacklisted by the U.N. Security Council committee in 2009.
The Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation is North
Korea’s key arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment
related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons.
Green Pine is responsible for about half North Korea’s
exports of arms and related material. It produces maritime
military craft and armaments, such as submarines, military boats
and missile systems, and has exported torpedoes and technical
assistance to Iranian defence-related firms.
KOREA HEUNGJIN TRADING COMPANY
The Korea Heungjin Trading Company is used by the Korea
Mining Development Trading Corporation for trading purposes.
The U.N. Security Council committee suspects the Korea
Heungjin Trading Company of supplying missile-related goods to
Iran’s Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, another blacklisted
group.
The Korea Heungjin Trading Company has procured an advanced
digital controller with applications in missile design.
Source: U.N. Security Council (http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/sc10633.doc.htm)
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Jackie Frank)
