The European Union has expanded sanctions on more individuals and corporations tied to the North Korean regime.

The EU said Wednesday that it has extended the visa issuance ban and asset freeze on the 18 individuals and 12 companies it is already sanctioning. It has also included one more person and six firms on the sanctions list.

The new targets of the sanctions will be identified in an EU gazette.

The EU held a board meeting in December last year and placed sanctions on North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law and Workers' Party director Jang Song-thaek and military leader Kim Yong-chun. Its sanctions are stronger than those imposed by the U.N. Security Council.