[Aju News DB]
Any third-country cargo ships coming from North Korea will not be allowed to enter South Korean ports as a follow-up to fresh sanctions imposed by the United Nations to punish the communist country's defiant push for nuclear and missile programs.
A UN Security Council resolution mandates member countries to inspect all cargo to and from North Korea, cut off shipments of aircraft and rocket fuel, ban all weapons sales and restrict all revenues to the government unless for humanitarian purposes.
The resolution also bans North Korean exports of coal and other mineral resources, a key source of hard currency that accounts for more than 40 percent of Pyongyang's total exports.
In response, South Korea unveiled its own sanctions on Tuesday. Third-country vessels that have traveled to North Korea in the past 180 days are prohibited from entering South Korean waters, the Prime Minister's Office said.
Last year 66 ships had sailed into South Korean ports after visiting North Korea.
Inter-Korean trade will be closely monitored and restricted, if necessary, the office said, adding South Korea would tightly curb unauthorized or smuggled imports of North Korean products via third countries.
South Korean citizens are advised not to visit North Korean restaurants abroad because Pyongyang has run them to earn hard currency, the office said.
Seoul also blacklisted 38 North Korean officials and two foreigners as well as 30 organizations, including six foreign entities, which are suspected of having been involved in the development of nuclear weapons and missiles.
Blacklisted people and organizations will be banned from making financial and property transactions with South Korean banks, and their assets here will be frozen.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has fumed at the new UN sanctions, ordering nuclear weapons to be ready for use at any time and vowing to step up the development of atomic bombs. Pyongyang has also vowed to take "strong and merciless actions".
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
