Sanctions EU - North Korea
- 21 Aug 2023
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Sanctions EU - North Korea
- Updated on 21 Aug 2023
- 3 Minutes to read
- Contributors
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The ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile-related activities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) represent a serious threat to international peace and security. These activities undermine the global non-proliferation and disarmament regime of which the EU has been a steadfast supporter for decades.
In this context, the EU has implemented the restrictive measures imposed through resolutions of the UN Security Council and has reinforced them through its own measures. These measures target the DPRK's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile-related programmes.
The EU first introduced restrictive measures against the DPRK in December 2006. Those measures implemented the United Nations' sanctions regime, which was adopted following the DPRK's claim that it had conducted a nuclear weapon test.
The EU also reinforced the UN's sanctions regime by adopting autonomous measures complementing and reinforcing the UN Security Council resolutions.
Restrictive measures
Trade restrictions on defence-related products | Trade restrictions on dual-use items | Trade restrictions on coal, iron and steel | Trade restrictions on petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum | Trade restrictions on jet fuel and additives | Trade restrictions on copper, nickel, silver and zinc |
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Trade restrictions on earth and stone, incl. magnesite and magnesia | Trade restrictions on gold, precious metals and diamonds. | Trade restrictions on luxury goods | Trade restrictions on gas liquids | Trade restrictions on titanium, vanadium ore and rare earth mineral | Trade restrictions on wood |
Trade restrictions on aircraft and helicopters | Trade restrictions on machinery and electric equipment | Trade restrictions on vessels | Trade restrictions on food and agricultural products | Trade restrictions on seafood | Trade restrictions on textiles |
Trade restrictions on statues | Restrictions on computer services | Restrictions on scientific cooperation | Restrictions on services for chemical, mining and refining industry | Restrictions on teaching and training |
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Restriction on financing of companies and investment in commercial activities | Restriction on trade with public bonds | Restriction on banking operations, transfer of funds, loans and credits | Restrictions on the export of banknotes and coinage | Freezing of funds | Travel ban |
Trade sanctions: Restricted products and transactions
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Defence-related products | Dual-use items | Coal. Iron. Steel |
| There is an arms embargo for export, technical assistance, brokering and financial assistance. Some exceptions apply. | Export, technical assistance, brokering and financial assistance are prohibited. Some exceptions apply. | Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. |
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Copper. Nickel. Silver. Zinc. | Crude oil. Refined petroleum. | Earth and stone, including magnesite and magnesia |
| Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Export to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. |
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Gas liquids. | Lead. Lead ore. | Petroleum products. Refined petroleum. |
| Export to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import of petroleum products from North Korea, and export of refined petroleum to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. |
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Gold. Precious metals. Diamonds. | Titanium. Vanadium ore. Rare earth mineral | Wood |
| Import from, and export to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. |
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Aircraft. Helicopters. | Aviation fuel. Fuel jet. | Machinery. Industrial machinery. Electric equipment. |
| Export to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Export to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from, and export to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. |
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Vessels | Food. Agricultural products. | Luxury goods |
| Import from, and export to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from, and export to North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. |
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Seafood | Textiles | Statues |
| Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. | Import from North Korea is prohibited, but some exceptions apply. |
Financial sanctions: Listed persons & entities, restricted services
There are currently many persons on the list of people whose funds and economic resources are frozen.
Other sanctions
EU Member States must prevent the entry into, or the transit through, their territories of listed persons.
To go further
Sanctions & Embargoes, by RespectUs | Namecheck by RespectUs | License Determination, designed by RespectUs |
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| Indicate your product, transaction, customer, country, and get a full report on the applicable restrictive measure(s). | Search by name, first name, address, birth date, to see if a determined person or entity is listed, and thus subject to any sanction or restrictive measure. | Process your transaction, product, destination country and customer, to determine if a license is required for this transaction, or any other restrictive measure is applicable. |
Legal texts
Related information
Human Rights Watch - North Korea. Human Rights Watch investigates and reports on abuses happening in all corners of the world.