U.S. President Barack Obama is stressing that new U.S. sanctions against North Korea are not aimed at the North Korean general public or at those who lawfully provide humanitarian aid to the North.

In a letter to congressional leaders, Obama said that the new sanctions seek to penalize certain North Korean activities that violate U.N. Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874.

Obama said these activities include arms sales, money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling and drug trafficking.