The European Council (EC) announced on Monday it had renewed sanctions against over a dozen human rights violators, including two high-ranking North Korean officials and the country’s top public prosecutor’s office.

The sanctions regime, which was established in Dec. 2020, targets individuals and entities accused of heinous crimes against humanity.

In March, the EC expanded sanctions to include North Korean Minister of Social Security Ri Yong Gil, Minister of State Security Jong Kyong Thaekand North Korea’s Central Public Prosecutor’s Office. The resolutions specifically name Ri and Jong’s involvement in a range of grievous crimes, including suppression of political