The Council has added 16 persons and one entity, the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces (MPAF), to the lists of those subject to an asset freeze and travel restrictions, transposing part of the new sanctions imposed by UN Security Council resolution 2397 (2017).

This resolution was adopted on 22 December 2017 in response to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s ongoing nuclear weapon and ballistic missile-development activities, with flagrant disregard for previous UN Security Council resolutions.

The decision brings the total number of persons under restrictive measures against the DPRK to 79 persons and 54 entities as listed by the UN. In addition, 41 persons and 10 entities are designated by the EU autonomously.

The Council will work on the swift transposition of the other sanctions included in UN Security Council resolution 2397. A number of these measures are already contained in existing EU autonomous sanctions. The EU is also likely to adopt additional autonomous measures in the coming weeks.

The EU implements all UN Security Council resolutions adopted in response to the DPRK's nuclear programmes and nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes. In addition, the EU has imposed autonomous restrictive measures against the DPRK, complementing and reinforcing the UN sanctions regime.

The legal acts were adopted by written procedure. They will be published in the Official Journal of 9 January.