Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on Wednesday that New Zealand has announced sanctions against Russian and North Korean entities to mark the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated that the new sanctions encompass 27 individuals and 25 organizations linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex, energy sector, and North Korea’s support for the war. This includes high-ranking North Korean military officials identified as providing strategic support for Russia’s war effort. Among them are Kang Sun Nam, former Minister of Defense; Kim Yong Bok, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army; Lee Chang Ho, Head of the Reconnaissance General Bureau; and Jang Chang Ha, head of the Defense Science Institute, a key figure in missile development.
On Monday, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also issued a press release announcing additional financial sanctions, travel bans on 70 individuals supporting Russia and its war efforts, and economic sanctions on 79 entities. The Australian government emphasized that these measures specifically target individuals and organizations involved in strengthening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including the deployment of North Korean forces in combat zones. They warned that such deepening ties escalate the conflict and pose serious risks to security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
The United Kingdom has also expanded its sanctions, adding several North Korean officials, including Defense Minister No Kwang Chol, Deputy Chief of General Staff Kim Yong Bok, Head of Reconnaissance General Bureau Lee Chang Ho, missile technician Ri Sung Jin, and Shin Geum Cheol, head of the Operations Bureau of the Korean People’s Army.
Last October, the Ukrainian government disclosed the names of three North Korean generals dispatched to Russia: Kim Yong Bok, Lee Chang Ho, and Shin Geum Cheol.
Kim has a long history of leadership in North Korea’s special forces, having commanded the 11th Corps and the Special Operations Command. As Deputy Chief of the General Staff, he was responsible for training deployed units and is believed to be the overall commander of North Korean troops sent to Russia.
As the Head of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, Lee was placed on South Korea’s independent sanctions list against North Korea in 2023. Shin’s involvement in North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s inspection of special forces last September, alongside Deputy Chief General Kim and Lee, suggests he may have been preparing for a leadership role in the deployed troops for some time.