The sanctions target high-ranking North Korean officials and businesses involved in illicit nuclear and missile programs, aiming to curtail their financing activities.

The decision to impose sanctions was prompted by North Korea's launch of a long-range ballistic missile on July 12, which posed a threat to the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula and the international community.

Among the individuals subjected to sanctions are Jong Kyong Thaek, the director of the General Political Bureau overseeing the North Korean military, and Park Kwang Ho, the former propaganda director of the regime.

Additionally, Park Hwa Song and Hwang Kil Su, who manage the company Congo Aconde based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been blacklisted. Congo Aconde generates revenue for North Korea through construction and statue-building projects carried out in collaboration with local governments.

The imposition of sanctions by South Korea underscores its commitment to addressing North Korea's provocative actions and curbing its nuclear and missile ambitions. (ILKHA)