President Donald Trump has called the new set of sanctions the "largest ever" targeting North Korea. The move comes as Trump's daughter Ivanka is in South Korea for the end of the Winter Olympics.
The latest sanctions are directed at one person, 27 shipping companies and 28 vessels, according to a statement posted by the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
US officials told the Reuters news agency that Washington had been speaking to partners in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Japan, South Korean and Singapore, over how to crack down on ships suspected of violating sanctions on the North.
The plan could see US Coast Guard ships deployed in the region to stop and search vessels.
Trump threatens phase two
South Korea welcomed the new round of sanctions.
"New US sanctions will alert those who are illegally trading with North Korea and therefore bolster the international community to carry out resolutions from the UN Security Council," the South Korean Foreign Ministry said.
US President Donald Trump, who said the measures were "the heaviest sanctions ever imposed on a country," appeared to threaten military action against North Korea if the sanctions failed.
"If the sanctions don't work, we'll have to go phase two," Trump said. Without elaborating further, he added: "Phase two may be a very rough thing, may be very, very unfortunate for the world."
Depriving the North
The sanctions are Washington's latest attempt to cut off "illicit avenues used by North Korea to evade sanctions," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.
The UN Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions on North Korea in the last year in order to deprive the reclusive state of funds for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The most significant recent international round of sanctions (despite Trump's "largest ever" claims on Friday) targeted supplies of oil in particular, although shipping companies were suspected of helping Pyongyang defy the limitations. Oil is a particularly precious commodity in a country without a reliable electricity grid, with rural businesses often reliant on generators for power.
Guns, gold and gas: What UN sanctions target North Korea?
International observers say North Korea continues to flout bans on its pursuit of a nuclear weapons program. The UN Security Council has increased sanctions on the country.
Image: Reuters/S. Sagolj
Coal and iron
In August 2017, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution banning all coal, iron, iron ore and lead imports from North Korea. Pictured here is China's Liaoning Greenland Energy Coal Co. in Dandong, on the border with North Korea.
Image: Reuters/B. Goh
Currency
North Korea is prohibited from opening banks abroad, and UN member states are prohibited from operating financial institutions on Pyongyang's behalf. Any dealings that might help North Korea skirt the sanctions are banned, and UN member states must expel and repatriate anyone working on the regime's financial behalf.
Image: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
Shipping
This North Korean cargo ship found itself boarded for inspection in the Philippines in March 2016 after the United Nations ordered member nations to de-register any vessel owned, operated or crewed on orders from Pyongyang. North Korean ships also cannot fly the flags of other nations to evade sanctions.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Dumaguing
Air travel
Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, remains exempt from aviation sanctions and still has scheduled flights to China and Russia, as well as several domestic routes. However, the airline cannot fly to the European Union, which has banned it on safety grounds, and the United States prevents citizens from legally conducting business with the carrier.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Yonhap
Fuel
In December 2017, a new raft of UN sanctions targeted fuel imports in North Korea, meaning its residents could have difficulties driving the country in Pyeonghwa sedans (pictured above). The sale and transfer of diesel and kerosene are limited while the import of crude oil is capped at 4 million barrels a year.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Ralston
Bank accounts, real estate
UN sanctions limit North Korea's diplomats abroad — at the country's Berlin embassy, for example — to only one bank account each. North Korea is also not permitted to own real estate abroad for any purposes other than consular.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/S.Schaubitzer
Military training
It's a safe bet that North Korea's marching military did not learn its moves abroad: UN sanctions ban foreign security forces from training the country's army, police or paramilitary units. The United Nations does permit medical exchanges, but otherwise allow very little assistance of scientific or technical value.
Image: Reuters/S. Sagolj
Statues
Anyone wanting to own a larger-than-life Kim will have to await the end of North Korea's nuclear program. The UN sanctions currently ban the sale of statues by the nation.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/robertharding
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Ivanka Trump meeting with Moon Jae-in
The latest US sanctions come just days before the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea, with North Korean officials set to attend.
Trump's eldest daughter Ivanka, a senior adviser to the president, will also attend the closing ceremony. She held closed-door talks earlier on Friday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
Trump said she would use her presence at the end of the Olympics to emphasize the US commitment to a "maximum pressure campaign to ensure that the Korean Peninsula is denuclearized."
In a possible attempt to reassure Washington, Moon said that South Korea was the "last" country that would be willing to acknowledge North Korea as a nuclear state. He added that any talks about improving relations between the two countries must also include talks on nuclear disarmament.
Moon praised the Winter Olympics for helping to open up dialogue between the countries, which are still technically at war.
"North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympic Games has served as an opportunity for us to engage in active discussions between the two Koreas and this has led to lowering of tensions on the peninsula and an improvement in inter-Korean relations," Moon said.
South Korea's Presidential Blue House said that there were no official opportunities for the US and North Korean officials to meet, suggesting that a run-in between Pyongyang's delegation and Ivanka Trump was unlikely.
The opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang
The 2018 Olympics have officially begun with the opening ceremonies in the South Korean region of Pyeongchang. The Russians entered as "Olympic Athletes," South and North Korea as one — and the Tongan was topless again.
Image: Reuters/P. Kopczynski
Fireworks on a frigid evening
The opening ceremony for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang was held at the Olympic Stadium, starting with fireworks on a frigid evening in South Korea. While the weather was often too warm in the previous games in Vancouver and Sochi, that should not be a problem this time around.
Image: Reuters/P. Kopczynski
Cultural program
As is the case with all Olympic hosts, South Korea took the opportunity presented by the opening ceremony to present something of its culture and traditions to the world.
Image: Reuters/T. Melville
Greeks enter first
As is the tradition at both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games, Greece, the ancient home of the Olympics, are the first contingent to enter the stadium for the opening ceremony. Alpine skier Sophia Ralli led what is a realtively small Greek continent into the stadium in Pyeongchang.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/P. D. Josek
The VIP stand
The dignitaries watched the opening ceremony from their own VIP stand. Bottom left is German International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, to his right, South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Germany is represented by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (top right).
Image: picture alliance/dpa/M. Kappeler
Historic handshake
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was witness to a little bit of history as Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shook the hand of South Korean President Moon Jae.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/PA Wire/M. Egerton
Frenzel carries the flag
Germany were led into the Olympic stadium by nordic-combined gold medalist from Sochi four years ago, Eric Frenzel. Germany's flagbearer was chosen in part by a popular vote on the internet, as he beat four other nominees.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Kappeler
African representation
Ghana has sent an athlete to the Winter Olympic Games for just the second time. Akwasi Frimpong, who will be competing in the Skeleton, carried the flag into the Olympic Stadium. Downhill skier Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong had previously represented Ghana at the 2010 Vancouver Games. There are also several other Africans competing at the Games, including from South Africa, Nigeria and Eritrea.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Sohn
Olympic Athletes from Russia
The International Olympic Committee has banned Russia from these Winter Games over its alleged state-sponsored doping program. However, 169 carefully screened athletes have been invited to compete under a neutral flag. The "Olympic Athletes from Russia" followed the Olympic flag into the stadium.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/N. Pisarenko
Pita Taufatofua
Tongan cross-country skier Pita Taufatofua stole the show when he entered the stadium bare-chested, despite sub-zero temperatures. The 34-year-old had caused a stir at the 2016 Rio Games when he oiled himself up and went topless as Tonga's flag-bearer. Taufatofua, who competed in taekwondo in Rio, had originally planned to keep his shirt on in the freezing cold — but obviously changed his mind...
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AFP/F. Fife
United under one flag
In a gesture of peace, the host South Koreans entered the stadium together with their neighbors from North Korea. The athletes from the bitter rivals marched into the venue under a unified Korean flag.
Image: Getty Images/M. Meyer
Thank you Korea!
IOC President Thomas Bach used his short address to thank the Koreans for entering as a united team. He also called on the around 3,000 athletes to "inspire us all to live together in peace and harmony despite all the differences we have." Then he gave way to South Korean President Moon, who declared the Winter Games open.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/P.D.Josek
Olympic Flame lit
There was a time when an athlete could simply walk up to the cauldron with a torch and light the Olympic Flame. Now, though, no self-respecting host would allow the Flame to be lit in such a mundane manner. South Korean figure skater Kim Yuna, who won gold in Vancouver and silver in Sochi, lit the fuse, setting off a tower of fire that shot up to the Olympic cauldron — lighting the Olympic Flame.