Kyo'ng-t'aek CHO'NG

Director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army. Minister of State Security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) from 2017 until 2022.

N/A

Male

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2022.314.01.0081.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A314%3ATOC

Position-based reason

Executive

Jong Kyong-thaek is the Minister of State Security of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2017. The Ministry of State Security of the DPRK is one of the leading institutions in charge of implementing the repressive security policies of the DPRK, with a focus on identifying and suppressing political dissent, the inflow of ‘subversive’ information from abroad, and any other conduct considered a serious political threat to the political system and its leadership. As Head of the Ministry of State Security, Jong Kyong-thaek is responsible for serious human rights violations in the DPRK, in particular torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings, enforced disappearance of persons, and arbitrary arrests or detentions, as well as widespread forced labour and sexual violence against women.

EU

2022/2374 (OJ L314)

(Date of UN designation: 2021-03-22)

2022-12-06

EU

Restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses

EU-horizontal

Human Rights

Asset freeze and prohibition to make funds available, Restrictions on admission

- All assets of the listed persons and entities should be frozen. It is also prohibited to make any funds or assets directly or indirectly available to them. - Member States shall enforce travel restrictions on persons listed in the Annex of Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999

On 9 December 2019, the Council welcomed the launch by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of preparatory work to establish a horizontal EU sanctions regime against serious human rights violations and abuses. On 17 November 2020, the Council approved conclusions on the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024, which set out the EU’s level of ambition and priorities in this field in its relations with all third countries. On 7 December 2020, the Council adopted the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. The regime enables the EU to target individuals, entities and bodies – including state and non-state actors – responsible for, involved in or associated with serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide, no matter where they occurred. It applies to acts such as genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious human rights violations or abuses. Other human rights violations or abuses can also fall under the scope of this sanctions regime, if they are widespread, systematic or otherwise of serious concern as regards the objectives of the EU common foreign and security policy. The restrictive measures consist of travel bans applying to individuals, and freezing of funds applying to both individuals and entities. In addition, EU persons and entities will be prohibited from making funds available to those listed, either directly or indirectly. Derogations to the restrictive measures are possible, including the delivery of humanitarian aid.