EU broadens sanctions against North Korea

[BRUSSELS] The European Union on Thursday broadened its sanctions against North Korea over its work on nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

The EU said it would freeze the assets of 14 more people and ban their travel to Europe in line with a UN Security Council resolution last week for more sanctions over Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests.

The European Union also put four more entities - companies or state bodies - on its blacklist, bringing the total to 94 North Korean people and 53 entities sanctioned.

North Korea launched a volley of surface-to-ship cruise missiles off its east coast on Thursday, its fifth such test in less than a month, Seoul's defence ministry said.

The EU has steadily increased its sanctions against Kim Jong Un's North Korea, particularly in the last few months.

EU sanctions against North Korea date back to 2006 and are part of international efforts to halt a nuclear and ballistic missile programme which experts say is intended to give Pyongyang the capability to hit the US mainland.

AFP