On Friday, the President of the United States issued an Executive Order to place additional sanctions on North Korea. The decision affects ten different North Korean officials as well as three different companies. The White House released President Barrack Obama's decision in a statement.
"Today, the President issued an Executive Order (E.O.) authorizing additional sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," the statement began.
A recent security breach occurred in Sony Corporation that crippled the company. A group of hackers attacked Sony Pictures Entertainment and stole electronic data. United States federal officials claimed that North Korea was central to the hacking. HOwever, North Korea, a nation that is already heavily sanctioned, denied involvement with the hacking. Today, President Obama acted upon the alleged North Korean involvement.
"This E.O. is a response to the Government of North Korea's ongoing provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies, particularly its destructive and coercive cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment," said the statement.
The hackers also threatened Sony, as well as theaters, in response to the scheduled release of "The Interview". Though the hackers threatened to execute terrorist attacks on theaters showing the film, which humorously portrays the North Korean leader, Sony corporation made the film available online and several theaters across the United States still premiered the film.
"The E.O. authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to impose sanctions on individuals and entities associated with the Government of North Korea. We take seriously North Korea's attack that aimed to create destructive financial effects on a U.S. company and to threaten artists and other individuals with the goal of restricting their right to free expression," read the statement.
CNBC reports that the three companies that will receive the additional sanctions are the Reconnaissance General Bureau, Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation, and Korea Tangun Trading Corporation. The North Korean officials that are targeted include individuals currently working in Syria, China, Russia, and Namibia.
The President of the United States stated that the sanctions were "proportional, and will take place at a time and in a manner of our choosing." Since the initial threats by the cyber terrorists, President Obama has showed strong disapproval of the attempts to impede Sony's film. The statement ended with, "Today's actions are the first aspect of our response."
