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Adds a new paragraph (7) to 22 U.S.C. 9251(a) to require 'halting material support (as such term is defined in section 6 of the Russia-North Korea Cooperation Sanctions Act) for Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine' as an additional condition in the list of items relevant to suspension of sanctions.
Adds a new subparagraph (F) to 22 U.S.C. 9252(2) to require 'halting material support (as such term is defined in section 6 of the Russia-North Korea Cooperation Sanctions Act) for Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine' as an additional item of progress relevant to termination of sanctions.
Requires the President to impose sanctions on foreign persons and foreign financial institutions that transfer arms or other material support from North Korea to Russia for use in Russia’s war in Ukraine, and expands U.S. sanctions law to cover such material support. It also mandates regular unclassified reports (with a possible classified annex) to Congress about North Korean activities supporting Russia, lists definitions, and provides a narrow humanitarian exception under a presidential waiver.
On February 24, 2022, the Government of the Russian Federation, led by Vladimir Putin, launched an unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On September 13, 2023, the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Kim Jong Un, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the transfer or sale of conventional arms to Russia in exchange for economic assistance and support for North Korea’s space, nuclear, and missile programs.
Kim Jong Un’s trip to Russia would be his first known travel outside North Korea since North Korea’s COVID–19 lockdown in early 2020.
North Korea maintains an arsenal of artillery shells, rockets, and other conventional military equipment that it may provide to Russia.
If Russia or Russian state-backed entities are acquiring arms and related materiel from North Korea, such actions would violate United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit North Korea from exporting those items.
Who is affected and how:
Foreign persons and networks directly involved in arranging, transporting, brokering, or supplying arms or other material support from North Korea to Russia face asset blocking, sanctions, and visa bans. Designated individuals and entities will have U.S. property blocked and face secondary restrictions on access to the U.S. financial system.
Foreign financial institutions (including foreign central banks under the bill’s definition) that process transactions facilitating those transfers face designation risk, increased compliance costs, and potential loss of correspondent banking access or secondary sanctions.
The North Korean government and its procurement/logistics networks are targeted; the law increases legal exposure for third-country facilitators and could disrupt supply chains used to move materiel.
U.S. executive agencies (Treasury, State, Justice and intelligence partners) will have new reporting and enforcement tasks, requiring interagency coordination to identify targets and produce the mandated reports every 180 days.
Recognized humanitarian organizations may operate under a narrow waiver but could face additional scrutiny before receiving an exception; the waiver requires a 15-day congressional notice.
Third-country governments and companies that have trade or financial ties with North Korea or Russia could see diplomatic friction, enforcement actions, and tighter due diligence expectations.
Overall effect: strengthens U.S. sanctions pressure aimed at stopping North Korea-to-Russia transfers, raises compliance burdens for international banks and brokers, and increases congressional oversight through regular reporting. It does not provide new funding or create federal grant programs.
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Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Financial Services, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced April 3, 2025 by Gerald E. Connolly · Last progress April 3, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Financial Services, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House