The U.S. slapped new sanctions on North Korea’s border control authorities on Friday for their efforts to stop would-be defectors from escaping, part of a series of designations to mark International Human Rights Day.

The unilateral measures, which also target the DPRK’s animation industry, “aim to disrupt” North Korea’s “role in restricting freedom of movement, mistreating asylum seekers, and exploiting laborers to generate revenue for the state,” according to a press statement by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

Notably, the new sanctions specifically designate North Korea’s Ministry of State Security Border Guard General Bureau (BGGB). 

“The journey to leave the DPRK is particularly treacherous due to attempts by state security agencies, including the BGGB, to thwart escapes through tight border controls, including land mines and shoot-on-sight orders that have resulted in the deaths of numerous North Koreans,” according to the Treasury Department. 

The U.S. Treasury also designated seven companies based in China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia for doing business with the North Korean animation firm SEK Studio. 

Washington previously sanctioned SEK Studio in Dec. 2021 for doing work for foreign companies to raise money for the North Korean state. SEK Studio has been involved in producing 1,200 different films and television shows, according to IMDB. 

The designation of Russia-based Limited Liability Company Kinoatis comes after an NK Pro investigation revealed in June that a North Korean animation studio helped animate scenes for its film “Space Dogs: Tropical Adventure.” 

Hollywood-based Epic Pictures produced and distributed the children’s film, but the U.S. has only sanctioned Kinoatis. 

• READ MORE: North Korean studio secretly animated US-backed Russian film

Among the other individuals and entities, the Treasury specifically singled out Singapore-based Funsaga Pte Ltd and its Indian director Deepak Jadhav “for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, SEK.”

According to its website, Funsaga has been involved in producing more than 360 episodes for over 25 clients since its founding in 2018. 

Jadhav and Funsaga did not immediately reply to NK News questions about their alleged business ties with SEK Studio.

The U.S. also designated Kim Myong Chol, a “Paris-based North Korean representative for SEK” who has “facilitated payment transactions for SEK in 2022, including the collection of unpaid payments on contracts between European companies and SEK.” The Treasury does not mention which European companies Kim allegedly did business with. 

Other companies designated in connection with SEK Studio were Hong Kong-based Everlasting Empire Limited and Tian Fang (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, as well China-based Fujian Nan’an Import and Export Company, Yancheng Three Line One Point Animation Co., Ltd and Quanzhou Yiyangjin Import and Export Trade Co., Ltd.

Under the new unilateral measures, Washington will freeze the U.S-banked assets of those targeted and revoke or deny their U.S. visa. The sanctions also block U.S. banks, businesses, and individuals from transacting with them.

Edited by Bryan Betts

Updated at 12:33 p.m. KST on Dec. 11, 2022 with additional details about sanctioned Russian firm.