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Guide for Implementation and Reporting Obligations related to United Nations Sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

By Mark Duncan

 

1. Executive Summary

  • The UN sanctions regime targeting the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is the most comprehensive in existence, imposing a complex array of enforcement and reporting obligations on governments 
  • African States are particularly vulnerable to sanctions evasion due to long-standing commercial ties with the DPRK that pre-date the sanctions regime but may no longer be legal post-2006, or offer conduits for evasion by the DPRK, its nationals and entities;1 
  • In order to facilitate compliance, this guide offers a summary of the types of sanctions measures imposed on the DPRK, enforcement efforts and reporting obligations. 

DPRK Sanctions Regime

The DPRK sanctions regime (hereafter “1718 regime”) was established by Security Council resolution 1718 (2006),2 which also established the relevant sanctions committee (hereafter “1718 Committee”), and was expanded by Security Council resolutions 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013), 2270 (2016), 2321 (2016), 2371 (2017), 2375 (2017) and 2397 (2017). 3

National Sanctions Implementation Obligations

As these resolutions were adopted by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter,4 states are legally obliged under the Charter to ensure their full implementation and enforcement, including adopting constitutional, legal and regulatory instruments to enable this.

In order to facilitate implementation, governments should adopt a whole-of-government sanctions implementation mechanism led by a national co-ordinator and involving all governmental and non-governmental implementation actors.

Measures, Enforcement and Reporting

Sanctions measures within the 1718 sanctions regime can be divided into three types:

1. Embargoes and bans;

2. Infrastructure restrictions;

3. Blocking of diplomatic and cultural activities.

2. Embargoes and Bans

The DPRK is subject to the following embargoes and bans:

  • Conventional arms and dual-use items; 
  • Proliferation technologies, including weapons of mass destruction (WMD), proliferation-relevant dual-use items and Catch-All provisions; 
  • Commodities; 
  • Luxury goods; 
  • Human trafficking and coercive employment. 

Conventional Arms

The DPRK is the only targeted state subject to a two-way conventional arms embargo, meaning both exports to and imports from the DPRK of arms and related materiel are prohibited.

In determining what items fall within the ambit of the embargo, governments should consult the relevant lists maintained by the 1718 Committee regarding:

  • conventional arms-related items, materials, equipment, goods and technology (S/2017/829);5 
  • dual use items (S/2017/760). 6 

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of arms to the DPRK, its territory or its nationals and entities;  
  • prevent the transport of arms to the DPRK from or through their territory;  
  • prevent the transport of arms to the DPRK by their nationals or using its flag vessels or aircraft; 
  • seize and register arms identified as in violation of the embargo; 
  • destroy or otherwise render inoperable, or store, or transfer to another state for disposal, any arms that are seized (if authorised by the relevant resolution). 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • the embargo against the importation of arms and related materiel into the DPRK, including any dual-use items; 
  • the embargo against the exportation of arms and related materiel from the DPRK, including any possible exemptions. 

Proliferation Technologies

As with conventional arms, the DPRK is subject to a two-way proliferation embargo prohibiting both the import to and export from the DPRK of any components that could have applications for developing or maintaining a WMD arsenal.

In determining what items fall within the ambit of the embargo, governments should consult the relevant lists maintained by the 1718 Committee regarding:

  • WMD-related items, materials, equipment, goods and technology (S/2017/728);7 
  • WMD-related dual-use items, materials, equipment, goods and technology (S/2017/822).8  

Due to the particular stringency of the DPRK sanctions regime, in addition to defence and proliferation equipment, any item may be subject to the embargo under the catch-all provision if it contributes to any of the following in regards to the DPRK:

  • Military capacity; 
  • WMD development, including nuclear, biological and chemical components; 
  • Ballistic missile development. 

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • prevent any type of delivery of proliferation-relevant items designated under the above referenced lists from entering the DPRK; 
  • prevent any item that may fall under the Catch All provisions from entering the DPRK, and when in doubt, exporters should consult with their national trade control authorities. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • the embargo on items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to the nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related or other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes, including any dual-use items, or equipment to which the Catch-all Provision applies. 

Commodities

Governments should be aware of commodities restricted or with special restrictions under the 1718 regime.9 As the DPRK and its entities are well-known for attempting to circumvent sanctions, it is incumbent on governments to maintain to determine the origins, owners of and buyers for commodities through trade certification, documentation and due diligence.

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • prevent the acquisition of specified commodities from or to the DPRK, its nationals and entities. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • all efforts to prevent the DPRK from supplying, selling or transferring coal, iron, iron ore, gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore, rare earth minerals, copper, nickel, silver, zinc, lead and lead ore, food and agricultural products (HS codes 12, 08, 07), machinery (HS code 84), electrical equipment (HS code 85), earth and stone including magnesite and magnesia (HS code 25), wood (HS code 44), aviation fuel, including aviation gasoline, naptha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, and kerosene-type rocket fuel, vessels (HS code 89), industrial machinery or transportation vehicles, seafood and textiles; 
  • in 90-day intervals, any provision of crude oil to the DPRK and the specific amounts. 

Luxury Goods

The DPRK is the only state subject to sanctions on luxury goods. By design, the 1718 regime affords major interpretative latitude to governments as to what constitutes such goods.

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • adopt national definitions of luxury goods;10 
  • determine who among its manufacturers, wholesalers, brokers and retailers actually meets this definition and therefore should be informed about the restrictions concerning the DPRK; 
  • enforce the ban via implementing measures through their export control regimes in collaboration with border control agencies and transportation industries. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • any efforts to implement the embargo on luxury goods. 

Human Trafficking and Coercive Employment

There is a general prohibition against providing work permits for DPRK nationals working abroad.

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • prevent work authorisations from being granted to DPRK; 
  • repatriate identified individuals; 
  • repatriate DPRK diplomatic and consular staff assigned as overseers.  

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • the repatriation of all DPRK expatriates earning income; 
  • the prevention of abuses of diplomatic missions that are providing assistance to or cover to the DPRK’s proliferation project, including the closing of diplomatic missions or expulsion of diplomatic staff. 

3. Infrastructure Restrictions

The DPRK is subject to the following restrictions:

  • asset freeze; 
  • denial of financial services; 
  • travel ban; 
  • restrictions on maritime, aviation, and land transportation. 

Asset Freeze

Governments are required to have their financial institutions, including supporting industries such as accountants, real estate agents, financial and securities brokers, insurance agents, currency traders or investment advisors, freeze all assets that can be identified under the information released in the 1718 list of designated individuals, companies or entities,11 according to the standards established recommended by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).12

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • block any funds or economic resources that are already directly or indirectly owned or controlled by a designated individual, company or other entity; 
  • block any funds or financial resources that are being made available to a designated individual, company or other entity; 
  • block any associate or affiliate (individual or entity) that acts on behalf or at the direction of, or is owned or controlled by, already designated individuals, companies or entities, including maritime vessels. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • any efforts to implement the assets freeze and travel ban, as well as assets frozen, including specific amounts and whereabouts; 
  • measures taken to carry out an inspection, an asset freeze and impoundment or other appropriate action. 

Denial of Financial Services

Governments are required to deny financial services that support the DPRK’s proliferation activities by ensuring that their financial institutions exercise due diligence, according to the standards recommended by the FATF.13

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • prevent the transfer of any financial or other assets or resources; 
  • prevent the opening and operation of new branches, subsidiaries or representative offices of DPRK banks; 
  • prevent the continuation of operations of existing branches, subsidiaries and representative offices, joint ventures or ownership interests and correspondent banking relationships; 
  • prevent the opening of new representative offices or subsidiaries, branches or banking accounts in the DPRK; 
  • prevent the continuation of operations of existing representative offices, subsidiaries or banking accounts in the DPRK; 
  • prevent public and private financial support for trade with the DPRK such as export credits, guarantees or insurances; 
  • prevent new commitments for grants, financial assistance or concessional loans to the DPRK. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • any preventive efforts against the provision of financial transactions, brokering or other intermediary services, cash-carriers, insurance or re-insurance services for maritime vessels, the clearing of funds, technical training, advice, services or assistance related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance, or use of embargoed goods; 
  • the prevention of all joint ventures or cooperative activities with DPRK entities or individuals. 

Travel Ban

Under the 1718 regime, governments must enforce a travel ban against:

  • individuals designated by the UN sanctions list; 
  • their family members; 
  • those acting on behalf of designated individuals; 
  • any individual whom a state determines is working on behalf of individuals assisting the evasion of sanctions or violating the provisions of the DPRK sanctions resolutions. 

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • prevent individuals designated by the UN sanctions list, as well as their family members and any individual acting on their behalf or at their direction from entering or transiting via their territory; 
  • prevent any individual whom a state determines is violating the provisions of the sanctions resolutions or assisting the evasion of sanctions from entering or transiting via their territory; 
  • prevent any individual traveling for the purposes of carrying out activities related to the shipment of prohibited items to or from the DPRK for repair, servicing, refurbishing, testing, reverse-engineering and marketing from entering or transiting via their territory; 
  • repatriate the aforementioned individuals. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • the repatriation of all DPRK expatriates earning income; 
  • the prevention of abuses of diplomatic missions that are providing assistance to or cover to the DPRK’s proliferation project, including the closing of diplomatic missions or expulsion of diplomatic staff. 

Restrictions on Maritime, Aviation and Land Transportation

The DPRK’s sovereign rights over its transportation corridors and companies are subject to extensive restrictions.14 Enforcement of these restrictions place responsibilities upon governments’ naval forces, maritime and airport authorities, port authorities and border controls, train and road crossings, ship insurance companies, crewing agencies and fleet owners.

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

prevent designated vessels from receiving:

  • the right to load, transport, or discharge petroleum products; 
  • permission to enter into ports; 
  • bunkering services; 
  • financial transactions for petroleum deliveries. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • any efforts to de-register vessels suspected in the transportation of embargoed goods; 
  • the inspection, seizure and disposal of goods that are recovered during inspections of cargo on their territory and in vessels on the high sea; 
  • non-cooperation of a flag state where a vessel is assumed to be transporting embargoed goods; 
  • information on transfers, renaming or re-registering; 
  • information regarding the number, name, and registry of designated vessels encountered in its territory or on the high seas. 

4. Blocking of Diplomatic and Cultural Activities

This category of sanctions includes the following measures:

  • Restricting diplomatic privileges; 
  • Restricting trade in cultural goods; 
  • Restricting educational services;  
  • Restricting sports activities. 

Restricting Diplomatic Privileges

There are currently no sanctions on diplomatic privileges enjoyed by the DPRK. However, DPRK individuals with diplomatic status may still be subject to other sanctions, including travel bans and assets, and must be declared persona non grata resulting in de facto expulsion.

Restricting Trade in Cultural Goods

As the trade in cultural and artistic goods is a lucrative source of revenue for the DPRK, especially in Africa,15 the 1718 regime institutes a prohibition on this trade.

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • prevent the supply, sale and transfer of statues by DPRK nationals and entities. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • all efforts to prevent the DPRK from supplying, selling or transferring artistic statues. 

Restricting Educational Services

Under the 1718 regime, DPRK nationals are prohibited from specialised teaching and training that could contribute to proliferation and ballistic missile development, as well as being prohibited from general training military and instruction as per the arms embargo.

Enforcement

Governments are required to take necessary measures to:

  • prevent DPRK nationals or entities from benefiting from education services relevant to proliferation sciences, including advanced courses in materials science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and industrial engineering, and any other training that is required for the development of nuclear weapons or ballistic missile technologies; 
  • prevent the provision of any type of military training or technical advice to DPRK nationals or entities. 

Reporting Obligations

Governments are required to report implementing steps and concrete measures, as well as violations and observations, regarding:

  • the prevention of specialized teaching or training, or scientific and technical cooperation that could assist the DPRK’s proliferation project. 

Restricting Sports Activities

Although no sanctions on sports activities are in place against the DPRK, the luxury goods ban has an indirect effect on such activities as sporting equipment is usually determined to be a luxury good.

5. Exemptions

Like all sanctions committees, the 1718 Committee has its own system for receiving and approving exemptions, including specific procedures and templates.16 Exemptions shall be considered on a case-by-case basis by the 1718 Committee, subject to advance notice, and may be rejected for any reason. Where allowed by the relevant resolution, governments must apply for such exemptions in advance by notifying the Committee, whilst non-governmental actors must apply via the national permanent mission of the state in which they are resident/registered.

Exemptions from Arms Embargoes

In regards to the conventional arms embargo, exemptions shall generally only be granted in cases where they ensure the safe operation of UN or other authorised peace-keeping missions and representatives of international media and non-governmental organisations. A successful exemption application must list:

  • The precise nature and quantity of all items or services for which the exemption is sought; 
  • The chain of custody for the items or the services during the time period they will be used in the embargo zone; 
  • The authority and mandate under which these units are deployed in the embargo region; 
  • The entity responsible for the transport of the exempted items; 
  • The port of entry. 

Exemptions to Travel Bans and Asset Freezes

Exemptions to travel bans and asset freezes may be granted:

  • on humanitarian grounds, including to gain access to medical services or fulfil religious practices; 
  • to facilitate participation in mediation and reconciliation proceedings; 
  • for other reasons. 

Exemptions are by nature exceptional and granted only in cases where doing so would not undermine the 1718 regime.

About Mark Duncan

Mark Duncan is a graduate student and researcher with extensive experience in arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament. He is presently an intern with the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations. He previously interned at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, the Russian International Affairs Council and the International Centre for Security Analysis. He graduated from UCL and the Higher School of Economics, Moscow with the International Master’s in Economy, State and Society: Peace and Security. He will join the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a Civil Service Fast Streamer later this year.