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▼ Japan Blacklists North Korean Arms Dealer In Sanctions Targeting Russia’s War
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Tokyo also designates Russian individuals and financial institutions aiding DPRK’s access to global financial system
Japan has imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to North Korea as part of a sweeping package targeting Russia over its war against Ukraine.
The restrictions cover a total of 12 individuals and 54 organizations tied to Russia as part of Japan’s contribution to “international efforts for world peace” and aim to resolve the “current international situation in Ukraine,” Tokyo’s foreign ministry said on Friday while announcing the sanctions.
As part of the new sanctions package, Japan will impose asset freezing measures on a North Korean individual named Rim Yong Hyok, who acted as a “deputy representative” for Korea Mining Development and Trading Corporation in Syria. The company is the DPRK’s primary arms exporter.
The U.S. sanctioned him in July 2023 for facilitating weapons sales to Russia’s Wagner Group, while South Korea and the EU imposed their own sanctions on him in May and June 2024, respectively.
Tokyo’s latest sanctions also target a number of financial institutions previously implicated in facilitating North Korea’s access to the international banking system.
MRB Bank, or International Settlements Bank, located in Georgia’s separatist region of South Ossetia, and its partnering organization TSMRBank (CMRBank) are among the newly designated entities. The U.S. and South Korea sanctioned both institutions last year.
An NK Pro investigation identified TSMRBank and MRB as likely participants in a covert financial scheme used by North Korean operatives to channel assets in and out of the country via South Ossetia, a gray-zone jurisdiction.
The new Japanese measures notably blacklist TSMRBank Vice Previously Dmitry Nikulin, who was previously sanctioned by the U.S., as well as Aleksey Budnev, the owner of Technology Co., Ltd., allegedly involved in trade of DPRK military communications equipment to support the Russian military.
Several other Russian entities sanctioned by Japan on Friday have also been linked to illicit trade with North Korea. These include:
Additionally, Japan blacklisted 31 entities based outside of Russia and Belarus over the Ukraine war, introducing export prohibition measures against them.
Tokyo lifted restrictions on eight individuals — including the mother of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late leader of Russia’s mercenary outfit the Wagner Group; two Russian military officers; and five figures previously involved in the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of eastern Ukraine.
The news comes as North Korean troops have entered combat in Russia’s Kursk region after it was partially seized by Ukrainian forces in August. Pyongyang began the troop deployment in mid-October.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky recently claimed that North Korea has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk, with 4,000 soldiers killed or wounded.
The deployment of North Korean forces to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine followed Pyongyang’s sales of arms, munitions and ballistic missiles to Moscow. More recently, North Korea has reportedly begun supplying Russia with long-range artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems.
Japan has imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to North Korea as part of a sweeping package targeting Russia over its war against Ukraine.
The restrictions cover a total of 12 individuals and 54 organizations tied to Russia as part of Japan’s contribution to “international efforts for world peace” and aim to resolve the “current international situation in Ukraine,” Tokyo’s foreign ministry said on Friday while announcing the sanctions.
As part of the new sanctions package, Japan will impose asset freezing measures on a North Korean individual named Rim Yong Hyok, who acted as a “deputy representative” for Korea Mining Development and Trading Corporation in Syria. The company is the DPRK’s primary arms exporter.
The U.S. sanctioned him in July 2023 for facilitating weapons sales to Russia’s Wagner Group, while South Korea and the EU imposed their own sanctions on him in May and June 2024, respectively.
Tokyo’s latest sanctions also target a number of financial institutions previously implicated in facilitating North Korea’s access to the international banking system.
MRB Bank, or International Settlements Bank, located in Georgia’s separatist region of South Ossetia, and its partnering organization TSMRBank (CMRBank) are among the newly designated entities. The U.S. and South Korea sanctioned both institutions last year.
An NK Pro investigation identified TSMRBank and MRB as likely participants in a covert financial scheme used by North Korean operatives to channel assets in and out of the country via South Ossetia, a gray-zone jurisdiction.
The new Japanese measures notably blacklist TSMRBank Vice Previously Dmitry Nikulin, who was previously sanctioned by the U.S., as well as Aleksey Budnev, the owner of Technology Co., Ltd., allegedly involved in trade of DPRK military communications equipment to support the Russian military.
Several other Russian entities sanctioned by Japan on Friday have also been linked to illicit trade with North Korea. These include:
- Marine Trans Shipping LLC (Astrakhan) — previously sanctioned by the U.S., Canada, New Zealand over Russia-DPRK arms trade
- Stroytreyd LLC (Moscow) — previously sanctioned by the U.S. and ROK along with TSMRBank and MRB and other financial institutions
- Russian Financial Corporation Bank (Moscow) and Timer Bank (Moscow, Kazan) — both previously sanctioned by Washington and Seoul for their role in orchestrating illegal transactions between Russia and North Korea, along with CMRBank and MRB
Additionally, Japan blacklisted 31 entities based outside of Russia and Belarus over the Ukraine war, introducing export prohibition measures against them.
Tokyo lifted restrictions on eight individuals — including the mother of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late leader of Russia’s mercenary outfit the Wagner Group; two Russian military officers; and five figures previously involved in the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of eastern Ukraine.
The news comes as North Korean troops have entered combat in Russia’s Kursk region after it was partially seized by Ukrainian forces in August. Pyongyang began the troop deployment in mid-October.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky recently claimed that North Korea has suffered heavy casualties in Kursk, with 4,000 soldiers killed or wounded.
The deployment of North Korean forces to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine followed Pyongyang’s sales of arms, munitions and ballistic missiles to Moscow. More recently, North Korea has reportedly begun supplying Russia with long-range artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems.
- 10/1 19:01
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