S. Korea lauds new EU sanctions on N. Korea

SEOUL, (Yonhap) — South Korea on Friday welcomed the European Union’s adoption of new sanctions punishing North Korea for its nuclear and missile tests.

The standalone sanctions come in response to the North’s fourth nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch in February, which prompted the U.N. Security Council to impose stronger sanctions on Pyongyang in March.

North Korea is banned under past Security Council resolutions from conducting nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

“This measure reflects the united will of the 28 EU states that strong unilateral sanctions measures are needed in addition to the faithful implementation of the Security Council resolution to bring about North Korea’s denuclearization and actual change in the country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said in a statement. “We regard it highly.”

The new measures expand the list of goods, including luxury goods, banned from being sold to the North; tightens financial sanctions on the country; and bans North Korean planes and vessels from entering EU territory.

“Our government will further strengthen our cooperation with the EU and the rest of the international community to sanction and pressure the North to create the conditions under which it has no choice but to give up its nuclear (weapons),” Cho said.