Sanctions imposed after North Korea launches military reconnaissance satellite

According to Yonhap news agency, on December 1, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said that the country has imposed unilateral sanctions on 11 North Korean individuals involved in the development of satellites and ballistic missiles.

This is the latest move to protest Pyongyang's military reconnaissance satellite launch last week.

The sanctions list includes four individuals working at the North Korean National Aerospace Technology Administration and manager Kang Son in charge of the Ryongsong Machine Complex.

The list also includes Lieutenant General Kim Choon-kyo of the Korean People's Army; two officials of the North Korean Machine-Building Industry Bureau; a diplomat working at the North Korean Embassy in Russia; the head of a research institute and a manager at the Thaesong factory.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry made the announcement on the same day that the United States, Japan and Australia announced a series of similar sanctions.

The move marks the first time the four countries have imposed sanctions on North Korea at the same time.

The decisions came after Pyongyang launched a rocket carrying a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit on November 21. Seoul and Washington consider the launch a violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

Previously, in December last year and September this year, South Korea, the US and Japan also imposed sanctions on North Korea.

In the same day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on the country's Air Force to strengthen its defense capabilities.

According to KCNA, during his visit to the Air Force Command, Mr. Kim Jong-un emphasized the need for the air force to improve its combat and operational readiness. The North Korean leader also outlined operational and tactical policies to enhance the force's comprehensive defense capabilities.