Anchor: The UN Security Council has decided to impose sanctions on three additional North Korean companies. Our Kim In-kyung has the details.

Report: UN officials announced Wednesday local time that the Security Council's committee on sanctioning the North added one bank and two trading companies to a list of North Korean entities subject to sanctions, bringing the total to eleven. Those firms will have their assets frozen and will not be able to engage in any type of transactions with UN member states.

Sources said they couldn't confirm the names of the firms newly added to the list, but all are related to missile programs. South Korea, the U.S., EU and Japan supported adding about 40 North Korean firms to the list, but the number fell sharply due to opposition from China. The North Korea Sanctions Committee, which is composed of the UN Security Council's 15 members, makes decisions by unanimous consent.

China reportedly supported adding two North Korean firms to the list but apparently opted for a total of three under pressure from the U.S. Separately, the sanctions committee added new items to a list of products that are banned from trade with North Korea, including luxury goods.

A diplomat from a Western nation said the newly added companies are considered to be important firms in the North.

The Security Council's recent decision comes after it unanimously adopted a presidential statement condemning North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on April 13th. The council had directed the sanctions committee to report an additional list of North Korean firms to restrict within 15 days. The committee reached an agreement after extending its midnight deadline on Tuesday by 12 hours.

Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News.