MOSCOW. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Moscow dismisses as unfounded the U.S. allegations of North Korean workers' employment by Russian companies in violation of UN resolutions and regrets the U.S. sanctions imposed on legal entities in this context.
"Another decision of the U.S. authorities to impose sanctions on two Russian companies allegedly employing North Korean workers is regretful," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a commentary published on the ministry website.
"Same as always, the Americans do not support their suspicions with proof but demand that their words be taken at face value, and continue to accuse Russia of 'sins,' this time of a violation of UN Security Council resolutions," Zakharova said.
"We categorically deny these allegations and condemn the practice of extraterritorial use of national legal norms by the United States, which, above all, contravenes universally recognized provisions of international law," she said.
"The unfounded restrictions imposed on our companies are a baseless and discriminatory step of the U.S. administration, which seems to be taking an awkward attempt at distracting public attention from its own destructive behavior on the world political stage," Zakharova said.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has added to the list of secondary sanctions on North Korea two companies that have registered addresses in Russia, the Department of the Treasury said in a statement on Thursday.
This is Mokran, a construction firm, and North-Korea-based company Korea Cholsan General Trading Corporation, which operates in Russia. Sanctions have been imposed on them for engaging in, facilitating, or being responsible for "the export of North Korean workers in a manner that generates significant revenue for the North Korean regime," the statement said.