EU expands sanctions against North Korea

By Hajer M’tiri

PARIS (AA) - The European Council on Thursday expanded its sanctions against North Korea after recent missile tests by the Pyongyang regime.

"The EU decided to expand the prohibition on investments in the DPRK [North Korea] to new sectors, namely the conventional arms-related industry, metallurgy and metalworking and aerospace," a council statement read.

It also agreed "to prohibit the provision of certain services to persons or entities in the DPRK, namely computer services and services linked to mining and manufacturing in the chemical, mining and refining industry".

Thursday’s measures build on a series of sanctions implemented by the EU in February this year.

North Korea has been accused of violating UN Security Council resolutions and of creating a “grave threat to international peace and security in the region and beyond".

Four people were also added to a list of persons targeted by the EU measures "for being responsible for supporting or promoting the DPRK's nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related or other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes".

This brings the total number of people subject to travel restrictions and asset freezes to 41, according to the European Council.

North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapons program accelerated in 2016, when it exploded two underground nuclear bombs and also launched 21 missiles.

It has kept up the pace in the first three months of 2017.

Pyongyang’s missile program is likely to dominate this week’s summit meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping.

Unlike South Korea, the North operates under heavy global sanctions as the UN Security Council has been working for years to stop Pyongyang's development of weapons of mass destruction.