The United States has slapped new sanctions on North Korea over its use of chemical weapons against its own nationals.
While it did not elaborate,... it seems to be in reference to last year's assassination of Kim Jong-nam,... the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Kim Hyo-sun tells us more. The United States has imposed new sanctions on North Korea over its alleged use of chemical weapons,... following its determination that such weapons were used to kill Kim Jong-nam last year.
The State Department published in the Federal Register that Pyongyang has used chemical weapons in violation of international law against its own nationals.
It did not elaborate,... but diplomatic experts explained this is an apparent reference to the killing of Kim at an international airport in Malaysia using VX nerve agent.
The sanctions include a termination of aid to North Korea as well as a ban on arms sales and financial assistance to the regime.
While the new measures are unlikely to have a major impact on the North,... which is already under heavy international sanctions for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs,... they are interpreted as the Trump Administration's continued strong pressure on the regime.
The sanctions,... devised under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991,... will remain in effect until further notice.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.
