Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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127. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if additional sanctions are being considered at EU level to be applied on North Korea due to its involvement in the Ukraine war. [29002/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland implements both sanctions as adopted by the United Nations Security Council, and EU restrictive measures adopted within the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The sanctions adopted in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine are the most expansive and hard-hitting in EU history, including extensive import and export bans, travel and transport bans, asset freezes, and media restrictions. In June 2024, Ireland welcomed the adoption of the EU’s 14th sanctions package, which further strengthens efforts to combat circumvention. The 14th package includes new provisions relating to Russia’s energy, financial and transport sectors and further anti-circumvention measures. The package also includes the listing of 116 additional individuals and entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, including a company involved in shipping weapons and ammunitions from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) into Russia. Ireland supports the continued use of EU sanctions to maintain pressure on Russia and limit its access to sensitive items and battlefield goods.

The UN Security Council has adopted multiple sanction Resolutions relating to DPRK, targeting its nuclear, weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missile-related programmes; most recently UNSCR 2270 (2016).

The EU has also introduced autonomous measures targeting DPRK including export and import restrictions on arms and related materiel of all types; materials, equipment, goods and technology, all items that enhance the armed forces capabilities or contribute to DPRK's nuclear, ballistic-missile, and other WMD-related programs. The EU sanctions' regime for the DPRK is one of the most restrictive in force.

In March 2024, the European Council called for the preparation of further sanctions relating to DPRK, Belarus and Iran, in response to their military support for Russia. On 31 May 2024, the Council sanctioned an additional six individuals and three entities in view of sanctions evasion activities carried out by the DPRK that could generate funds for its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, and considering the military support given by the DPRK to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Those targeted are subject to an asset freeze and the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly for the benefit of those listed, is prohibited. An EU travel ban also applies to the listed individuals.

The EU will continue to underline that the DPRK’s transfer of arms and related equipment to Russia represents a breach of multiple UNSC resolutions, which unequivocally prohibit any arms exports or imports involving the DPRK. Multiple independent entities have confirmed that the DPRK has provided ballistic missiles to Russia, which Russia has used against Ukraine. Ireland and our EU partners have also consistently condemned DPRK’s continued ballistic missile launches, in blatant contravention of UNSC resolutions. We call on DPRK to immediately end its highly destabilising actions, and to end its nuclear, WMD and other ballistic missile programmes, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.