PRESSURE

U.S. Imposes ‘Largest Ever’ Round of Sanctions on North Korea

As South Korea prepares for talks with its hostile neighbor.

The United States on Friday targeted 28 ships, 27 companies, and one person in what the Trump administration called “the largest package of new sanctions against the North Korea regime” to pressure it to abandon its nuclear-weapons program. In a statement from the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the vessels were singled out to further tighten trade, particularly oil shipments, to the belligerent Pyongyang regime. The sanctions package was announced as South Korea prepares for talks with its hostile neighbor, and as Ivanka Trump arrived in Pyeongchang ahead of the Winter Olympics Closing Ceremonies. During his trip to the Games’ Opening Ceremonies, Vice President Mike Pence said the U.S. is ready for talks with North Korea, while still intending to keep up the sanctions pressure.