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Washington
–
Following
North
Korea’s
illegal
missile
launch
earlier
this
month,
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
today
voted
to
both
enact
strong
new
sanctions
against
individuals
involved
in
North
Korea’s
nuclear
program
and
proliferation
activities
and
hold
officials
involved
in
censoring
the
regime’s
continued
human
rights
abuses
accountable.
The
North
Korea
Sanctions
and
Policy
Enhancement
Act
imposes
mandatory
sanctions
on
individuals
who
contribute
to
North
Korea’s
nuclear
program
and
proliferation
activities,
malicious
cyberattacks,
censorship
of
its
citizens,
and
the
regime’s
continued
human
rights
abuses.
“America
cannot
stand
by
silently
as
the
rogue
regime
in
North Korea continues
to
escalate
both
their
actions
and
rhetoric
regarding
nuclear
weapons,”
Scott
said. “North
Korea's
recent
long
range,
illicit
missile
test
and
ongoing
nuclear
program
require
a
response
that
holds
them
accountable
for
ongoing
efforts
to
flout
international
law
and
endanger
others
around
the
globe.
The
North
Korea
Sanctions
and
Policy
Enhancement
Act
would
enforce
a clear
set
of
new
sanctions
to
address
these
and
many
other
troubling
activities
in
North
Korea,
including
malicious
cyberattacks,
censorship
of
its
citizens,
and
their
ongoing
human
rights
abuses.”
The
North
Korea
Sanctions
and
Policy
Enhancement
Act
includes
the
following
key
provisions:
Sanctions:
- The
bill
requires
the
president
to
investigate
sanctionable
conduct,
including
proliferation
of
weapons
of
mass
destruction
(WMD),
arms-related
materials,
luxury
goods,
human
rights
abuses,
activities
undermining
cyber
security
and
the
provision
of
industrial
inputs
such
as
precious
metals
or
coal
for
use
in
a
tailored
set
of
activities,
including
WMD,
proliferation
activities
and
prison
and
labor
camps.
- The
president
is
mandated
to
sanction
any
person
found
to
have
materially
contributed
to,
engaged
in
or
facilitated
the
above
activities.
- Penalties
for
sanctionable
activities
include
the
seizure
of
assets,
visa
bans
and
denial
of
government
contracts.
- The
president
retains
the
discretionary
authority
to
sanction
those
transferring
or
facilitating
the
transfer
of
financial
assets
and
property
of
the
North
Korean
regime.
- The
president
may
waive
sanctions,
but
only
on
a
case-by-case
basis.
- The
bill
requires
the
Secretary
of
Treasury
to
determine
whether
North
Korea
is
a
primary
money
laundering
concern.
If
such
a
determination
is
made,
assets
must
be
blocked
and
special
measures
applied
against
those
designated
persons.
Strategies
and
Policies:
- The
bill
requires
a
strategy
to
promote
improved
implementation
and
enforcement
of
multilateral
sanctions;
a
strategy
to
combat
North
Korean
cyber
activities;
and
a
strategy
to
promote
and
encourage
international
engagement
on
North
Korean
human
rights-related
issues.
There
are
reporting
requirements
related
to
the
above
strategies
as
well
as
a
report
on
political
prison
camps
and
a
feasibility
study
on
providing
communications
equipment
to
the
people
of
North
Korea.
- The
State
Department
is
required
to
expand
the
scope
and
frequency
of
travel
warnings
for
North
Korea.
The
bill
also
states
that
it
is
the
policy
of
the
United
States
to
vigorously
pursue
sanctions
against
the
North
Korean
government
in
order
to
peacefully
disarm
the
North
Korean
regime.
It
would
require
the
President
to
submit
a
strategy
to
counter
North
Korean
cyber-related
attacks
and
impose
U.S.
sanctions
on
cybercriminals,
and
require
a
report
by
the
State
Department
identifying
human
rights
abusers
in
North
Korea
and
a
report
on
the
North
Korean
regimes’
political
prison
camps.
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