1. The government of the Republic of Korea welcomes the new Executive Order (hereafter referred to as E.O.) issued on March 17 (March 16 Washington time) by the government of the United States to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2270 and the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 (H.R. 757).

2. The ROK government highly appreciates the E.O., which reflects the strong determination of the U.S. to respond to North Korea’s repeated provocations, including its nuclear test and long-range missile launch.

3. The E.O. is expected to contribute significantly to the mutual reinforcement of implementation of the UN Security Council resolution, unilateral sanctions against North Korea, and the international community’s pressure on North Korea, all of which are being pursued by the ROK and the U.S. based on close cooperation.

4. The ROK government especially takes note that the E.O. lays a foundation for taking strong and effective measures, including sanctions on specific sectors of the North Korean economy (sectoral ban), such as transportation, mining, energy and financial services; sanctions on transactions with North Korea involving mineral resources, such as coal, metal and graphite; and sanctions on persons engaged in the exportation of workers from North Korea to foreign countries.

5. The ROK government, together with the international community, will continue to take all possible measures to foster an environment where North Korea has no choice but to abandon its nuclear program by changing its calculus and behavior.


* unofficial translation