US imposes sanctions on North Korean diplomat based in Ulaanbaatar
The United States Treasury announced on Friday that the US has imposed sanctions against a Turkey-based company and North Korean diplomat Ri Song Un based in the North Korean’s diplomatic mission in Ulaanbaatar.
SIA Falcon International Group, the company in question is accused of trading in weapons and luxury goods with Pyongyang in violation of international sanctions. The US Treasury said in a statement that SIA Falcon International Group, which also has a branch in Latvia, would be blacklisted for exporting weapons into or from North Korea. It also designated SIA Falcon Chief Executive Huseyin Sahin and its general manager, Erhan Culha, for violating the sanctions against North Korea. The two individuals in question and their company are now barred from doing business with Americans and holding property or having interests in property in the US.
Ri Song Un, the economic and commercial counselor at North Korea’s Embassy in Ulaanbaatar has also had sanctions imposed. The US Treasury said SIA Falcon officials hosted Ri earlier this year in Turkey to negotiate weapons deals with him.
"SIA Falcon International Group and individuals acting on its behalf are blatantly attempting to flout longstanding UN sanctions on trade in weapons and luxury goods with North Korea," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.
The sanctions are intended to diminish the revenue of the North Korean government to finance its nuclear weapons program.
The sanctions comes as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on his way to Pyongyang for talks with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un on ending North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
"The United States is deeply committed to the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea, and will continue to enforce and implement sanctions until that time,” Mnuchin's statement added.
...The sanctions are intended to diminish the revenue of the North
Korean government to finance its nuclear weapons program...