South Korea and Japan unveil sanctions over alleged Russia-North Korea arms trade

South Korea and Japan announced on Friday a series of sanctions applied to individuals, organizations, and ships related to Russia's alleged procurement of weapons from North Korea in breach of UN Security Council resolutions.

Seoul's foreign ministry said sanctions had been slapped on seven North Korean individuals and two Russian vessels over weapons trade and other activities between Pyongyang and Moscow.

The Russian vessels had been carrying a large quantity of containers between Russia and North Korea transporting military supplies in a clear violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, the ministry said in a statement.

The United States and South Korea have accused North Korea of transferring weapons to Russia for use in its war in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the accusations but vowed last year to deepen military relations.

Japan also announced sanctions on 11 organizations and one individual including what it said were Russian groups involved in military cooperation to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Russia's procurement of arms from North Korea violates the relevant UN resolutions that completely prohibit the transfer of arms and related materials to and from North Korea," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference.

According to South Korea's foreign ministry, one North Korean individual representing a state-controlled company based in Syria held negotiations to promote arms trade with a Russian from the Wagner Group between 2022 and 2023. The ministry cited an annual report by the UN panel of experts monitoring the reclusive state.

Another individual at a company based in Russia was involved in bringing diesel from Russia into North Korea, the ministry said, accusing both individuals of breaching UN Security Council resolutions.

Five other North Koreans helped raise funds to support Pyongyang's development of nuclear and missile programs by earning foreign currency as IT workers, South Korea's statement said.

Reuters