On the 12th (local time), the United States imposed sanctions on Korean national Lee Dong-jin (61) in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Lee, who lives in Busan, is suspected of acting as an agent for the Russian company AK Microtech. He is the first Korean to be on the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions list. He demonstrated the United States’ will not to make exceptions for its allies to enforce sanctions.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) included Lee in imposing sanctions on 150 organizations and individuals who violated sanctions against Russia. AK Microtech is a company that imports semiconductor technology needed for weapons production from abroad and transfers it to Russian semiconductor companies, and was subject to U.S. sanctions in June this year. The Ministry of Finance revealed that Mr. Lee supported the transfer of necessary equipment and technology from Korea, Japan, and the United States to AK Microtech through his paper company.
It is known that Mr. Lee is also being investigated in Korea. Regarding the inclusion of a Korean national on the U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions list for the first time on the 13th, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said, “I understand that our relevant authorities are already aware of the suspicion of illegal bypass exports to Russia and are conducting a related investigation regarding the person in question.”
Recently, Seoul Customs reportedly booked Mr. Lee on charges of exporting semiconductor equipment and parts to Russia without permission (violation of the Customs Act and Foreign Trade Act) and sent him to the prosecution.
Previously, in April, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy controlled the export of 798 items, including high-tech industrial products that are likely to be used as weapons. It was a participation in sanctions against Russia and Belarus related to the war in Ukraine. However, Mr. Lee colluded with a Russian company and decided to use the Chinese route, then created a separate paper company and sent semiconductor production-related equipment, which is prohibited from being exported to Russia, through China. It is known that this equipment later flowed to Russia.
The United States has banned the transfer of semiconductor technology to Russia since the Ukraine war in February last year. OFAC sanctioned Mr. Lee, who is suspected of violating this, and disclosed his personal information, including his real name, date of birth, and passport number, on its website. If he is placed on the US sanctions list, he will not be able to enter the US and his assets in the US will be frozen. Korean and American financial companies doing business with Mr. Lee may also be subject to secondary sanctions from the United States.
The U.S. Treasury Department said, “This action demonstrates our commitment to take action against third-country actors who materially support Russia’s war (invasion of Ukraine), and targets Russia’s procurement of military supplies.” An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said, “We will continue to strengthen our efforts to effectively implement existing sanctions against Russia, including preventing diverted exports, and continue to cooperate closely with the United States and South Korea.”
In addition, the U.S. State Department on this day imposed sanctions on ships and shipping companies used in arms trade between North Korea and Russia. It included about 100 organizations and individuals, as well as three Russian ships, including the Maria, Yakubovich, and Chernyshev, and IBEX Shipping and Ijia Shipping, which own these ships. Ships such as the Maria have been transporting weapons-laden containers from North Korea to Russia since October of this year.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.