Obama slaps new sanctions on North Korea after tests
Source: Reuters
President Barack Obama imposed sweeping new sanctions on North Korea on Wednesday intended to further isolate the country's leadership after recent actions by Pyongyang that have been seen by Washington and its allies as provocative.
The executive order freezes any property of the North Korean government in the United States and prohibits exportation of goods from the United States to North Korea.
It also allows the U.S. government to blacklist any individuals, whether or not they are U.S. citizens, who deal with major sectors of North Korea's economy. Experts said the measures vastly expanded the U.S. blockade against Pyongyang.
North Korea conducted a nuclear test on Jan. 6, and a Feb. 7 rocket launch that the United States and its allies said employed banned ballistic missile technology. Pyongyang said it was a peaceful satellite launch.
"The U.S. and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-northkorea-sanctions-idUSKCN0WI2VH