SEOUL– The South Korean government expressed support Tuesday for Japan’s decision to expand sanctions on North Korea over its continued saber-rattling highlighted by its recent string of ballistic missile launches.

Earlier in the day, Tokyo announced its plan to freeze the assets of five more organizations for their involvement in the advancement of the North’s nuclear and missile development programs.

“We believe Japan’s latest sanctions announcement demonstrates the strong and united commitment of South Korea, the United States and Japan in responding decisively to North Korea’s nuclear and missile development,” Lim Soo-suk, spokesperson for Seoul’s foreign ministry, said during a press briefing.

The announcement came after South Korea last week placed 15 North Korean individuals and 16 institutions on its blacklist in its first unilateral sanctions against Pyongyang in nearly five years.

The U.S. and its key Northeast Asian allies have been ramping up efforts to bolster trilateral security cooperation against the recalcitrant North.

Source: Yonhap News Agency