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
Date: 2025-12-15
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, North Korea, economic sanctions, international sanctions, legal person, natural person








L_202502580EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/2580


16.12.2025







            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


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:







(1)


On 27 May 2016, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 (1).












(2)


In accordance with Article 36(2) of Decision (CFSP) 2016/849, the Council has reviewed the lists of designated persons, entities and vessels set out in Annexes II, III, V and VI to that Decision.












(3)


The restrictive measures against the persons and entities in the lists set out in Annexes II and III to Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 should be maintained. The entries for one person and three entities in those Annexes should be updated.












(4)


Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



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.




Done at Brussels, 15 December 2025.


For the Council


The President

K. KALLAS
            





(1)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 of 27 May 2016 concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and repealing Decision 2013/183/CFSP (OJ L 141, 28.5.2016, p. 79, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2016/849/oj).




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: 850-2-18111 Ex 8059
Fax 850 2 381 4410
Email: mab@silibank.net.kp
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.’











ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2580/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)