MOSCOW. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Moscow has dismissed as unfounded U.S. allegations of North Korean workers being employed 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 involved in 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 haven't supported their suspicions with proof, but demand that their words be taken at face value, and they continue to accuse Russia of 'sins,' this time of violating UN Security Council resolutions," Zakharova said.
"We categorically deny these allegations and condemn the practice of the 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 by the U.S. administration, which seems to be making an awkward attempt to distract 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.
These are 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.
According to SPARK-Interfax, there are two companies named OOO Cholsan registered in Russia, one in Novosibirsk and the other in Irkutsk, both founded by the general trading company Cholsan. Both companies specialize in the construction of residential and nonresidential buildings and other operations in the construction sector. Anatoly Pokholkov, the general director of the Irkutsk-based company OOO Cholsan, also heads the liquidation commission of the of the Irkutsk-based regional non-governmental organization for the protection of North Korean citizens' rights named Chorsan, which is registered to the same address.
The company OOO Mokran is registered in St. Petersburg and is also engaged in the construction of residential and nonresidential buildings. According to SPARK-Interfax, its owner is North Korean citizen Ra Cher Un, and its general director is An Men In.