Reissuance of North Korea Sanctions Regulations

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Reissuance of North Korea Sanctions Regulations

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is announcing the amendment and reissuance in its entirety of the North Korea Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 510, in order to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13687, E.O. 13722, and E.O. 13810, and to reference the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 and the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017.  Pursuant to these authorities, all property and interests in property of the Government of North Korea and the Workers’ Party of Korea are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them without authorization from OFAC and must block property or interests in property that are in, or come within, the United States or the possession of a U.S. person.  In addition, these authorities provide the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, additional tools to disrupt North Korea’s ability to fund its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.  OFAC is also publishing new and updated North Korea-related FAQs.

 

The Regulations and the FAQs emphasize that all U.S. persons must comply with OFAC regulations, including all U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens regardless of where they are located, all individuals and entities within the United States, and all U.S.-incorporated entities and their foreign branches.  Furthermore, all transactions within the United States, including all financial transactions that transit the U.S. financial system, must comply with OFAC regulations.  For additional information, see FAQ 11 and 31 C.F.R. part 510, subpart G.

 

Violations of the North Korea Sanctions Regulations, issued under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. §§ 1701-06 (IEEPA), and other statutes can result in substantial civil monetary penalties, referral for criminal prosecution, or both.  Each violation of the North Korea Sanctions Regulations is subject to a civil monetary penalty of up to the greater of the IEEPA statutory maximum ($289,238 as of March 1, 2018) or twice the value of the underlying transaction.  Criminal penalties of IEEPA can reach $1,000,000 and 20 years imprisonment per violation.  For additional information, see FAQ 12 and 31 C.F.R. part 510, subpart G. 

 

For additional information regarding OFAC’s prohibitions and penalties, see Basic Information on OFAC and Sanctions. 

 

The regulations will be published in the Federal Register, and the changes will take effect, on: March 5, 2018. 

 

Further information about the North Korea sanctions may be found at: https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/pages/nkorea.aspx