US Sanctions 16 Chinese and Russian individuals for supporting North Korea

United States has sanctioned 16 Chinese and Russian individuals and companies accusing them of supporting the North Korean nuclear program.

In a statement released yesterday, Steven Mnuchin, Treasury Secretary, said, “It is unacceptable for individuals and companies in China, Russia, and elsewhere to enable North Korea to generate income used to develop weapons of mass destruction and destabilize the region”.

The Treasury Department, which oversees US sanctions programs, said those targeted by the sanctions had helped people known to support the North’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. They had also dealt in the reclusive country’s energy trade, had helped exploit North Korean workers or enabled North Korean entities to gain access to the international financial system.