Aju Business Daily

South Korea welcomed a US decision Tuesday to blacklist a Chinese industrial machinery and equipment wholesaler for exporting a key material used in enriching uranium to North Korea.

Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co. was accused of shipping aluminum oxide to Pyongyang at least twice in recent years. Washington also said the firm and its executives had been involved in international money laundering and conspiring to evade sanctions on North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs by using front companies.

The South's foreign ministry said in a statement: "We highly praise the US government on sanctioning Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co and its executives." The ministry said Seoul would continue to cooperate with the allied countries to strengthen pressure aimed at neutralizing North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles.

Seoul and Washington want Beijing to play an active role in enforcing sanctions against Pyongyang.

Aju News Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com