To further impede North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs, the Department of State on March 11 designated three individuals directly tied to North Korea’s proliferation activities. These designations are pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of WMD and their supporters:
North Korea's nuclear and missile proliferation activities violate UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), and 2094 (2013), destabilize the region, and undermine the global nonproliferation regime. The international community has condemned North Korea’s WMD proliferation activity, most recently in the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2094 on March 7. Today’s designations of three senior members of the North Korean government follow actions taken March 7 by the U.S. Government against China-based representatives of the Korea Mining Development Corporation (KOMID) and Tanchon Commercial Bank (TCB).
North Korea will continue to face isolation if it refuses to take concrete steps to comply with its international obligations and address the concerns of the international community over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The United States continues to encourage North Korea to choose the path of peace and remains prepared to engage constructively with North Korea if it changes its course. However, North Korea must demonstrate its seriousness of purpose and commitment to authentic and credible negotiations by taking meaningful steps to show it will abide by its denuclearization commitments and respect international law.
Pak To-Chun is the head of U.S.- and European Union-designated Munitions Industry Department, which manages North Korea’s weapons production and arms exports; he succeeded EU-designated Jon Pyong-Ho. Pak is a full member of the Korean Worker Party’s (KWP) Political Bureau, its highest decision-making body, as well the National Defense Commission, which, among other things, oversees several elements of North Korea’s security apparatus.
Chu Kyu-Chang is a KWP Political Bureau (alternate) member and directs the Munitions Industry Department. He formerly headed the U.S.-designated Second Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS) and the Second Economic Committee (SEC). SANS is a national-level organization responsible for research and development of North Korea’s advanced weapons systems, including missiles and probably nuclear weapons. SEC is responsible for overseeing the production of North Korea’s ballistic missiles and directs activities of the United Nations-, European Union-, and U.S.-designated Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID).
O Kuk-Ryol is a Vice Chairman of the North Korean National Defense Commission. He previously headed the KWP Operations Department, where he ordered the establishment of a nuclear research and development organization directly under his control.
The Department of the Treasury is today also designating the Foreign Trade Bank of the DPRK and Paek Se Bong pursuant to E.O. 13382 for WMD proliferation-related activity. More details are available here:
http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/default.aspx