Just days after the issuance of an executive order imposing a range of sanctions on North Korea, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has taken further action by placing eight North Korean banks and 26 individuals linked to North Korean financial networks on the Specially Designated Nationals List (SDN List). As a result of this action, any property or interests in property of the designated persons in the possession or control of U.S. persons or within the United States must be blocked. “We are targeting North Korean banks and financial facilitators acting as representatives for North Korean banks across the globe,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.
OFAC has designated the following eight North Korean banks: Agricultural Development Bank, Cheil Credit Bank, Hana Banking Corporation Ltd, International Industrial Development Bank, Jinmyong Joint Bank, Jinsong Joint Bank, Koryo Commercial Bank Ltd. and Ryugyong Commercial Bank. Also, two other banks already on the SDN List have been further designated as being part of the government of North Korea – the Foreign Trade Bank of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Central Bank of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Foreign Trade Bank is North Korea’s primary foreign exchange bank.
The individuals sanctioned by OFAC are North Korean nationals operating in China, Russia, Libya and the United Arab Emirates who act as representatives of North Korean banks.