Washington, Jubi/Antara/Xinhua-OANA – U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday signed an executive order, imposing new sanctions against the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea DPRK) in response to what he called Pyongyang’s “numerous provocations,” particularly the latest cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment.
The sanctions targeted three entities — Reconnaissance General Bureau, Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation and Korea Tangun Trading Corporation, as well as 10 individuals who work for those entities or the DPRK government, denying them access to the U.S. financial system and banning them doing transactions with U.S. citizens according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
The actions “will further isolate key North Korean entities and disrupt the activities of close to a dozen critical North Korean operatives,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said in a statement.
“As the President has said, our response to North Korea’s attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment will be proportional, and will take place at a time and in a manner of our choosing. Today’s actions are the first aspect of our response,” the White House noted.
The U.S. has accused Pyongyang of hacking Sony Pictures Entertainment over a comedy film “The Interview” that depicts an assassination attempt on DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. But the DPRK has denied involvement, saying such claims were “a wild rumor.” (*)
