The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office issued a short statement on 7 November 2025 following reports that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea conducted another ballistic missile launch. The spokesperson said such launches violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions and undermine peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, and urged Pyongyang to halt provocations and accept dialogue.
UN Security Council decisions provide the legal basis for the UK’s wording. Resolution 1718 (2006) demands that the DPRK refrain from nuclear tests and any launch of a ballistic missile, creating the core prohibition that remains in force. Later measures, including Resolution 2397 (2017), tightened sanctions after further long‑range launches.
Through the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, made under the Sanctions and Anti‑Money Laundering Act 2018, the UK implements the UN regime alongside autonomous restrictions. The government’s statutory guidance, last updated on 11 March 2025, sets out prohibitions on financial services, shipping, commodities trade and technical assistance, and explains licensing grounds.
Resolution 2397 adds practical enforcement tools relevant to UK shipping and insurance markets. Member States are authorised to seize or impound vessels engaged in illicit ship‑to‑ship transfers and are directed to prohibit insurance, reinsurance and classification services for vessels involved in sanctioned activity, with requirements to de‑register such ships. These measures have been incorporated into national practice and interact with UK offences under the 2019 Regulations.
For compliance teams, sanctions screening remains essential. The government has confirmed it will move to the UK Sanctions List as the single source of designation data from 28 January 2026, replacing the OFSI consolidated list. Firms should ensure systems are aligned ahead of that change and maintain audit trails for DPRK‑related risk decisions.
Monitoring has become more challenging since the 1718 Panel of Experts’ mandate ended on 30 April 2024 following a Security Council vote, although the 1718 Sanctions Committee continues to operate. In this context, member states emphasise information‑sharing and national enforcement to address procurement and evasion networks.
The FCDO’s appeal for meaningful diplomacy mirrors Council language that sanctions are intended to support a negotiated solution. The statement does not announce new UK measures; it restates the UK position that continued launches breach binding Council decisions and should stop.
For UK organisations with exposure to East Asia supply chains, the immediate operational effect is steady rather than new: keep transaction monitoring tuned to DPRK typologies, scrutinise shipping documentation for signs of ship‑to‑ship transfers, and escalate suspected breaches to the relevant authorities under the 2019 Regulations.