The U.S. Treasury Department has blacklisted North Korean flag carrier Air Koryo in response to the country's latest nuclear test in September.
The North Korean airline was blacklisted because one of its planes took part in a fly-over in a military parade in July 2013 and its aircraft transported spare parts for Scud missiles, the Chosun
Ilbo newspaper reported.
Sixteen planes were specifically identified in the sanctions. One of them was ostensibly piloted by leader Kim Jong-un during a photo op in 2014 and currently flies between Pyongyang, Shanghai
and Shenyang.
Long banning list
The Treasury Department also blacklisted 15 other agencies and seven officials including the president of the Second Academy of Natural Sciences Chang Chang-ha, who is directly linked to the
nuclear programme.
The blacklist covers organisations and individuals involved in the supply of overseas labour, coal exports and oil imports in addition to those involved in nuclear and missile development.
A spokesman for South Korea's Foreign Ministry said the blacklisting makes it more difficult for people to visit and do business in North Korea.
Nol van Fenema
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