White House sanctions North Korea

​

US President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Friday while on vacation in Hawaii authorizing the imposition of new sanctions against three North Korean organizations and 10 senior North Korean officials in the wake of the recent Sony hack the White House continues to blame on Pyongyang.

Among those named in the sanctions were:

North Korea's primary arms dealer, the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (Komid).

Korea Tangun Trading Corporation, which supports North Korea's defence research.

The Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea's primary intelligence organisation

.

Kim Yong Chol: An official of the North Korean government, according to the US, and a Komid representative in Iran.

Ryu Jin and Kang Ryong: Komid officials and members of the North Korean government who are operating in Syria, according to the US

Jang Song Chol: Named by the US Treasury as a Komid representative in Russia and a government official. 

This is U.S first public act of retribution as part of what Mr.Obama had promised would be a “proportional response” against the North Korea for a cyberattack against Sony. With this round of sanctions, the U.S. also put North Korea on notice that payback need not be limited to those who perpetrated the attack.