Anchor: In the latest move aimed at exposing those responsible for human rights abuses within the North Korean regime, the U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned seven individuals, including the leader Kim Jong-un's younger sister.
Mina Cha has more.

Report: The U.S. Treasury Department has added North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister to its Specially Designated Nationals List.

The department's Office of Foreign Assets Control(OFAC) said on Wednesday that the move to place Kim Yo-jong on its sanctions list came in response to unrelenting human rights abuses and rigid censorship policies being carried out in the North. 

Kim, the vice director of the Workers’ Party of Korea Propaganda and Agitation Department(PAD), was placed on the list along with six other officials including Kim Won-hong, the Minister of State Security and Choe Hwi, a vice director of the PAD.  

The Treasury Department also sanctioned North Korea's State Planning Commission and Ministry of Labor.

The individuals and entities put on the list are banned from entering the U.S. or doing financial transactions with Americans, while their assets within the U.S. are frozen.

Although the new sanctions are not expected to make a substantial impact on Pyongyang, pressure will still be felt as they directly target the regime.

The Treasury Department said it will continue to add North Korean individuals and entities to the list to hold the regime accountable for the human rights violations.

The U.S. government first announced the North Korea sanctions list over its human rights violations in July of last year, sanctioning 15 individuals, including leader Kim and eight North Korean entities.
Mina Cha, KBS World Radio News.

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