The Joe Biden administration imposed the first sanctions on North Korea, on Wednesday, following a set of missile launches. These sanctions targeted six North Koreans as well as a Russian and a Washington-based Russian firm. They were responsible for procuring goods for North Korea from China and Russia. 

Biden’s administration seeks to impede North Korea’s attempts to increase its weapons technologies and prevent the country’s advancement of programs. To this end, the US has also proposed that five of these individuals be blacklisted by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). This requires the consensus agreement of the North Korea sanctions committee, which is a 15 member body.   

Also Read | US and allies urge North Korea to abandon nukes and missiles

Since Biden came to power, the US government has unsuccessfully tried to have a dialogue with Pyongyang, in hopes of dissuading the North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un from continuing the proliferation of missiles and nuclear bombs. 

Ned Price, the spokesperson for the US State Department, stated that the US remained interested in pursuing avenues of diplomacy with North Korea. He noted in a news briefing, “What we have seen in recent days … only underscores our belief that if we are going to make progress, that we will need to engage in that dialogue”.

Meanwhile, the Treasury Department stated that the sanctions only came after the six ballistic missile launches on North Korea’s part, since September, each of which violated UNSC resolutions. Now, the moves come from the US, specifically targeting overseas representatives of North Korea who illegally procure items for weapons. 

Brian Nelson, the Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, also addressed North Korea’s missile launches, saying they are “further evidence that it continues to advance prohibited programs despite the international community’s calls for diplomacy and denuclearization”.  

Meanwhile, the North Korean leader told his countrypeople in a New Year speech that his aim is to bolster military prowess by leveraging cutting-edge technology.