Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/2580 of 15 December 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

• CELEX: Decision (CFSP) 2025/2580
• Articles: 3

Article 1

Annexes II and III to Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .

Schedules & Appendices

ANNEX

ANNEX

Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 is amended as follows:

(1)

Annex II is amended as follows:

(a)

under the heading ‘I. Persons and entities responsible for the DPRK’s nuclear-related, ballistic-missile-related or other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes or persons or entities acting on their behalf or at their direction, or entities owned or controlled by them’, subheading ‘A. Persons’, entry 10 is replaced by the following:

Name

Alias

Identifying information

Date of designation

Statement of Reasons

‘10.

HONG Sung-Mu

홍승무

HONG Sung Mu

DOB: 1.1.1942

Gender: male

20.5.2016

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.

He 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. He was re-elected to Party Central Committee in January 2021. In March 2023, he was photographed with Kim Jong Un inspecting purported nuclear warheads ready for mounting on ballistic missiles, and in September 2024, he was photographed with Kim Jong Un inspecting a DPRK uranium enrichment facility.’

(b)

under the heading ‘I. Persons and entities responsible for the DPRK’s nuclear-related, ballistic-missile-related or other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes or persons or entities acting on their behalf or at their direction, or entities owned or controlled by them’, subheading ‘B. Entities’, entry 4 is replaced by the following:

Name

Alias

Location

Date of designation

Other information

‘4.

Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Centre

녕변 원자력 연구소

영변 원자력 연구소

22.12.2009

Facilities capable of producing fissile material for military uses, including a 5MW (e) reactor, a plutonium reprocessing facility (radio-chemical laboratory), a Light Water Reactor (LWR) and a reported uranium enrichment facility. The Centre is maintained by the General Bureau of Atomic Energy (entity designated by the UNSC, 16.7.2009). In June 2024, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that they had observed the intermittent discharge of water from the cooling system of the LWR at Yongbyon since December 2023, consistent with the operation of the LWR. The IAEA also detected ongoing indications of operation of the 5MW(e) reactor and of the reported centrifuge enrichment facility. The UN Panel of Experts, in its March 2024 report, also detected significant ongoing activity at Yongbyon. Satellite imagery taken throughout 2025 confirmed continued operations and the completion of several new construction projects.’

(2)

In Annex III, under the heading ‘B. Entities’, entries 3 and 8 are replaced by the following:

Name (and possible aliases)

Identifying information

Date of designation

Reasons

‘3.

Maritime Administrative Bureau

a.k.a. Maritime Administration of DPR Korea

a.k.a. DPRK National Maritime Supervision Bureau

조선민주주의인민공화국 국가해사감독국

Address: Ryonhwa-2Dong, Central District, Pyongyang, DPRK

PO Box 416

Telephone: [phone] Ex 8059

Fax [phone]

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ma.gov.kp

16.10.2017

The Maritime Administrative Bureau has assisted in the evasion of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council including by renaming and re-registering assets of designated entities and providing false documentation to vessels subject to United Nations sanctions.

8.

Korea Paekho Trading Corporation

(Alias: Joson Paekho Muyok Hoesa)

조선백호무역회사

Address: Chongryu 3-dong, Taedonggang District, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

21.4.2022

Paekho Trading Corporation is an art company involved in constructing statues overseas, in exporting artwork statues produced by Paekho Art Studio, and facilitates illicit labour and access to international financial systems. It specifically targets development grants and loans, as well as foreign-direct investment earmarked for municipal projects. It is, thereby, engaged in the evasion of sanctions and responsible for supporting financially the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic programmes. In July 2024, the company was seen participating in a trade fair of DPRK products in Vladivostok, Russia, and in November 2024, it was seen participating in the 16th Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair.’