U.S. executive orders against N. Korea extended one more year

U.S. President Donald Trump extended the six executive orders on North Korea for another year on Wednesday (local time). The executive orders contain various economic sanctions against not only North Korea but also the individuals and corporations in third countries dealing with the North.

The first executive order of the U.S. specifically against North Korea, executive order 13466, came in June 2008 by former President of the U.S. George W. Bush. The order was made as North Korea was removed from the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA) list, categorizing North Korea’s nuclear proliferation threats as a “national emergency.” Freezing of North Korea’s assets in the U.S. and the prohibition of Americans’ ownership or operation of North Korean ships were included in the order.

During the Obama administration, four executive orders against North Korea were placed in August 2010, April 2011, January 2015, and March 2016. The order 13551, which was announced after the ROKS Cheonan sinking in March 2010, prohibited the trade of luxury goods, money laundering, and counterfeiting. The order 13570 placed in April 2011 is deemed to have practically prohibited any import of North Korean products to the U.S. by mandating the clear approval of all products, services, and technologies entering the U.S. from North Korea.

The order 13687, which was the last executive order made during the Obama administration in March 2016, inhibited North Korea from sending its workers to foreign countries and applied a comprehensive ban on mineral trade, cybersecurity, and export to North Korea. In particular, the secondary boycott clause, which imposes sanctions on individuals, corporations, and banks in third countries trading with North Korea, was included to expand the scope and effect of North Korea sanctions.

The Trump administration announced the executive order 13810 in September 2017. The order took a step further from the Obama administration to freeze the U.S. assets of individuals and corporations dealing with North Korean businesses and banks.

The executive orders against North Korea have been extended in June every year since the order 13466 was issued under the Bush administration. It was the fourth time that President Trump has extended the orders since his inauguration.


Ga-In Koo comedy9@donga.com