U.S. imposes fresh sanctions on N. Korea, Iran, Syria for WMD: State Dept.

By Hwang Doo-hyong WASHINGTON, May 24 (Yonhap) -- The United States Tuesday imposed sanctions on a North Korean firm and 15 other foreign firms for trading equipment and technology for the production of weapons of mass destruction. Korea Tangun Trading Corp. of North Korea and other companies are accused of having "transferred to or acquired from Iran, North Korea, or Syria equipment and technology listed on multilateral export control lists (Australia Group, Chemical Weapons Convention, Missile Technology Control Regime, Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement) or otherwise having the potential to make a material contribution to WMD or cruise or ballistic missile systems," the State Department said in a statement. Tangun Trading has already been blacklisted by the U.S. government and the United Nations, along with scores of other North Korean entities and individuals, for their involvement in North Korea's WMD programs under Security Council resolutions adopted after the North's nuclear and missile tests. The new sanctions under the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act will be effective for two years against Tangun, two Belarusian entities, three Chinese entities and one individual, five Iranian entities and one individual, two Syrian entities and one Venezuelan entity, the statement said. "These entities were sanctioned for the transfer to or acquisition from North Korea, Syria or Iran of goods, services or technologies controlled under the various export control regimes or otherwise have the potential to make a material contribution to the developments of WMD or cruise or ballistic missile systems," James Steinberg, deputy secretary of state, told reporters. "The majority of these entities or individuals were sanctioned because of proliferation activity involving Iran." The State Department also blacklisted seven foreign firms for their activities in support of Iran's energy sector under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, amended in 2010. They are PCCI of Iran, Royal Oyster Group of the United Arab Emirates, Speedy Ship (UAE/Iran), Tanker Pacific of Singapore, Ofer Brothers Group of Israel, Associated Shipbroking of Monaco, and Petroleos de Venezuela. It is the first time that Washington has imposed sanctions for refined-petroleum related activities under the Iran Sanctions Act, as amended in 2010, the department said in another statement. "By imposing these sanctions, the Secretary sends a stern and clear message to companies around the world: those who continue to irresponsibly support Iran's energy sector and help facilitate Iran's efforts to evade U.S. sanctions will face serious consequences." Both North Korea and Iran have been under sanctions by the U.N. for their WMD activities. "The United States is aggressively working with international partners to maintain pressure on the Government of Iran to comply with its international nuclear obligations," the statement said. "The sanctions announced today are an important step toward that goal, as they target Iran's ability to acquire and utilize resources in support of its illicit nuclear activities."