Japan to impose asset freezes on 5 N. Korean officials, 5 entities

TOKYO, July 23 Kyodo -
Japan will impose asset freezes on five individuals and five entities from
Friday for their involvement in North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile
development programs in line with a U.N. Security Council resolution passed
after the North's May nuclear test, the government said Thursday.
Tokyo will also confirm on Friday an entry and transit ban on the five
individuals as the sanctions committee of the 15-member Security Council
designated them anew last week.
Japan urges North Korea to ''take seriously'' a stern message from the
international community as expressed in related resolutions and to ''sincerely
and fully implement'' them, Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told a news
conference.
The individuals to be sanctioned are Ri Je Son, director of the General Bureau
of Atomic Energy, Yun Ho Ji, director of Namchongang Trading Corp., Ri Hong
Sop, former head of the Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center, Hwang Sok Hwa,
director of the General Bureau of Atomic Energy, and Han Yu Ro, director of
Korea Ryongaksan General Trading Corp.
All of them are believed to be North Koreans, according to a government official.
The firms to be subject to asset freezes are the General Bureau of Atomic
Energy, Hong Kong Electronics, Namchongang Trading Corp., Korea Kyoksin Trading
Corp. and Korean Tangun Trading Corp. -- all based in North Korea except for
Hong Kong Electronics, which is based in Iran.
The General Bureau of Atomic Energy is a North Korean government body said to
be responsible for North Korea's nuclear program, including the operation of
the Yongbyon nuclear research center.
On Thursday last week, the U.N. sanctions committee drew up a list of entities
and individuals subject to new U.N. sanctions in line with Resolution 1874,
which the council adopted on June 12 in response to North Korea's second
underground nuclear test on May 25.
Friday's action will come on top of Tokyo's designation in September 2006 of 15
entities and one individual as targets of a ban on their funds from reaching
North Korea's programs for missiles and weapons of mass destruction.
The 2006 sanction was implemented in line with Resolution 1695, adopted in
response to North Korea's missile launches in July that year.
Resolution 1874 calls for an expanded freeze on the assets of North Korean
entities and individuals to prevent the provision of financial services and
transfer of financial assets from contributing to North Korea's nuclear,
ballistic missile and other programs related to development of weapons of mass
destruction.
The resolution required the sanctions committee to designate entities,
individuals and goods, and report them to the Security Council within 30 days
of its adoption.
==Kyodo