South Korea has imposed independent sanctions on 15 North Korean individuals and one entity for allegedly providing financial support for the regime’s nuclear and missile development programs.

The foreign affairs and finance ministries announced the sanctions in a press release on Thursday.

The 15 individuals reportedly belong to the 313 General Bureau, an organization under the munitions industry department of the Workers' Party of Korea. 

They were reportedly working overseas as IT professionals to generate hard currency for Pyongyang’s weapons development.

Among them, Kim Chol-min is said to have earned substantial foreign currency while working for companies in the U.S. and Canada, which he funneled to Pyongyang. 

Meanwhile, Kim Ryu-song was indicted by U.S. authorities earlier this month for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions over several years.

The government also sanctioned a North Korean entity for sending a large number of North Korean IT personnel overseas and channeling funds into the North’s weapons program.