On August 31, 2023, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury has designated two individuals and one entity for supporting the development of weapons of mass destruction by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The sanctions were imposed in response to the DPRK’s recent attempts to launch a reconnaissance satellite into orbit.
Jon Jin Yong was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13687 for serving as an official in the Workers’ Party of Korea, an entity sanctioned by OFAC in 2016. Sergey Mikhaylovich Koslov, a Russian national, was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13687 for providing support to Jon Jin Yong. Intellekt LLC, a Moscow-based company coordinating construction projects with Jon Jing Yong and another sanctioned entity, was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13687 for being owned or controlled by Kozlov.
These designations were made in coordination with the Republic of Korea and Japan.
As a result of the designations, all property and interests in property of the designees within the United States or within the possession or control of a US person are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving the designated persons. In addition, entities owned 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.