The US Department of Justice on Monday unsealed criminal charges against a China-based company and four of its executives for conspiring to evade US economic sanctions that target North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programs.
The US Department of the Treasury blacklisted the same firm, Dandong Justice Industrial Development Company, and the individuals, alleging in a statement that Hongxiang has provided financial services to a North Korean firm that is already sanctioned, Korea Kwangson Banking Corp.
International concern over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs is deepening following its fifth and largest atomic test explosion this month, its second this year.
Last week, Chinese authorities said they were investigating Hongxiang, based in Dandong, near China’s border with North Korean border.
Police and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the company was suspected of unspecified “serious economic crimes.”
Monday’s action by the Treasury Department blocks any property Hongxiang and the executives — founder Ma Xiaohong (馬曉紅), Zhou Jianshu (周建舒), Hong Jinhua (洪錦花) and Luo Chuanxu (洛傳旭) — may have in the US, and prohibits Americans from doing business with them.
“Today’s action exposes a key illicit network supporting North Korea’s weapons proliferation,” Acting US Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Adam Szubin said.
“Treasury will take forceful action to pressure North Korea’s proliferation network and to protect the US financial system from abuse,” he said.
US Department of State spokesman Mark Toner said it was necessary to take these actions to maintain the integrity of sanctions imposed by the UN and the US.
“We are going to continue obviously to work with China and urge them to use their leverage, and they do have leverage over North Korea as their largest trading partner, to fully implement” all the current UN sanctions, Toner said.
The four Chinese nationals are charged with conspiring to commit money laundering and to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The Justice Department also filed a civil forfeiture action to seize funds from Chinese bank accounts that authorities say belong to Hongxiang and its front companies.
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