Sung Mu HONG

Vice Director of the Munitions Industry Department (MID)

1942-01-01

Male

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202302576

Position-based reason

Executive

Vice Director of the Munitions Industry Department (MID). The MID – designated by the UN Security Council on 2 March 2016 – is involved in key aspects of the DPRK’s missile programme. The MID is responsible for overseeing the development of the DPRK’s ballistic missiles, including research and development programmes. As such, Hong is responsible for the DPRK’s nuclear arms-related, ballistic-missile-related, or other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes. He witnessed the launch of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile on 28 November 2017. Participated in a meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Korean Workers’ Party in July 2020 dedicated to ‘deterrence from war’, a euphemism used to refer to the DPRK nuclear programme. Re-elected to Party Central Committee in January 2021.

EU

2023/2576 (OJ L14112023)

(Date of UN designation: 2016-05-20)

2023-11-14

EU

Restrictive measures in relation to the non-proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction

UN, EU country specific

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

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 Annex I, II and III of Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/849. Member States shall also expel: (1) DPRK nationals who they determine are working on behalf of or at the direction of a listed person or entity, or who they determine are assisting in the evasion of sanctions; (2) individuals working on behalf of or at the direction of a DPRK bank or financial institution; (3) DPRK diplomats, government representatives or other DPRK nationals acting in a governmental capacity who they determine are working on behalf of or at the direction of a listed person or entity or of a person or entity assisting in the evasion of sanctions; (4) any national of a third country determined to be involved in similar activities.

The ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile-related activities of the DPRK represent a serious threat to international peace and security. These activities undermine the global non-proliferation and disarmament regime of which the EU has been a steadfast supporter for decades. In this context, the EU has implemented the restrictive measures imposed by Resolutions of the UN Security Council and has complemented them through its own autonomous measures. These measures target the DPRK's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile-related programmes. The first set of restrictive measures were introduced with the UN Security Council Resolution 1718 (2006), adopted shortly after DPRK´s first nuclear test on 9 October 2006. The UN Security Council has repeatedly adopted new measures and expanded existing ones, most recently on 3 September 2017. On 27 May 2016, for the first time, the Council of the EU adopted additional autonomous restrictive measures in relation to the DPRK on the grounds that its actions constitute a grave threat to international peace and security in the region and beyond. On 6 April and most recently on 16 October, the Council again introduced additional restrictive measures to further increase pressure on the DPRK to comply with its international obligations. The EU is determined to combat proliferation and committed to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, including through the consideration of new restrictive measures. Derogations and exemptions to the restrictive measures are possible, including the delivery of humanitarian aid.