The United States has renewed financial sanctions against North Korea that were first imposed during the George W. Bush administration in 2008.

U.S. President Barack Obama said in a notice sent to Congress Wednesday (Korea time) that the U.S. was renewing for another year sanctions against Pyongyang, which were imposed in accordance with an executive order issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The federal law allows U.S. presidents to impose economic sanctions on countries that are considered to be a threat to U.S. national security. The renewal of sanctions comes as they are set to expire on June 26th.

Obama said, "the risk of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States."