Washington, United States

The United States, on Wednesday (Jul 24) announced sanctions against a network of around six individuals and five Chinese companies that it claims are involved in North Korea's ballistic missile and space programs.

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The so-called network is allegedly assisting North Korea in acquiring materials for its ballistic missile programs, which, according to the US Treasury Department, is a "flagrant violation" of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The ongoing advancement of North Korea's ballistic missile technology "is both irresponsible and destabilising for both the region and the international community," stated Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson.

"The United States remains committed to using our tools to enforce these international sanctions, including disrupting the illicit procurement networks that provide key inputs for these technologies," he added.

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The US Treasury said that North Korea’s space and ballistic missile initiatives rely on a broad "network" of international agents to acquire essential materials, including staff from its diplomatic and trade offices, "as well as third-country nationals."

The US government agency also alleged that North Korea uses foreign companies to buy the necessary items.

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In 2017, the UN Security Council imposed various sanctions and condemned Pyongyang due to its missile launches and nuclear tests.

During this period, worries about the extent of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's nuclear ambitions outweighed opposition from Moscow and Beijing.

This led to frequent clashes between Washington's then-UN ambassador Nikki Haley and her Russian and Chinese counterparts, Vassily Nebenzia and Liu Jieyi.

(With inputs from agencies)