WMD Act Section 12A: UNSC DPRK Sanctions List Updated
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2024-25/21 · issued 16 Apr 2024 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI mandates all regulated entities to update their compliance checks with the latest UNSC 1718 sanctions list amendments for DPRK, as notified by MEA. Daily verification of the designated list is required under the WMD Act.
Sanctions-list safety note. This circular refers to a specific UN Security Council / UAPA designated-entities list update as it stood on the date above — sanctions lists change often, and a newer update almost certainly exists today. Never use this page, or any single dated circular, as your current screening list. Always screen against the live, current list at the official UAPA proscribed-organisations list and the UN Consolidated List, and confirm the obligations for your bank on the official rbi.org.in source below.
The rule, in the simplest words
Every day, banks must check the UNSC (United Nations Security Council) 1718 sanctions list for North Korea (DPRK) on the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) website to see if any names have been added, removed, or changed.
When the UNSC updates a name on the sanctions list (shown with strikethrough or underline), banks must immediately update their own screening systems to match the new list.
If a bank does not use the latest sanctions list, it breaks the WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) Act and the KYC (Know Your Customer) rules, and could get in trouble with regulators.
How it plays out — a real example
A branch operations officer in Indore runs a daily check on the MEA website and sees that one entry on the UNSC 1718 sanctions list has been amended with a strikethrough and underline. She immediately updates her bank's screening system so that when a new customer applies for a gold loan, the system will flag that name correctly, keeping the bank compliant with the WMD Act.
What changed
The UNSC Committee under resolution 1718 amended one entry on its sanctions list for DPRK, with changes shown via strikethrough/underline. RBI circular communicates this amendment, updating the designated list referenced in the September 1, 2023 Order under Section 12A of the WMD Act.
What it means for you
Banks must immediately incorporate the amended UNSC 1718 sanctions list into their daily screening processes. Failure to align with the updated list could lead to non-compliance with the WMD Act and KYC Master Direction, exposing institutions to regulatory action.
What you must do
Update your sanctions screening systems with the latest UNSC 1718 list amendments for DPRK as enclosed in the circular.
Ensure daily verification of the UNSC 1718 Sanctions List from MEA's website and UN Security Council's site.
Review and align your internal compliance procedures with the amended designated list under Section 12A of the WMD Act.
Communicate the changes to your AML/KYC compliance teams and relevant business units.
The UNSC Committee established under resolution 1718 amended its sanctions list for DPRK. The Ministry of External Affairs communicated these changes to RBI, which then issued this circular.
How often should we check the sanctions list?
As per Section 53 of the KYC Master Direction, regulated entities must verify the UNSCR 1718 Sanctions List every day to account for any additions, deletions, or other changes.
What happens if we don't comply?
Non-compliance with the WMD Act and KYC Master Direction can lead to regulatory penalties, including fines or restrictions on operations. Meticulous compliance is mandatory.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2024-25/21
DOR.AML.REC.14/14.06.001/2024-25
April 16, 2024
The Chairpersons/ CEOs of all the Regulated Entities
Madam/Dear Sir,
Implementation of Section 12A of the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005: Designated List (Amendments)
Please refer to Section 52 of our Master Direction on Know Your Customer dated February 25, 2016 as amended on January 04, 2024 (MD on KYC), in terms of which, inter alia, “Regulated Entities (REs) shall ensure meticulous compliance with the “Procedure for Implementation of Section 12A of the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005” laid down in terms of Section 12A of the WMD Act, 2005 vide Order dated September 01, 2023, by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India (Annex III of the Master Direction on Know Your Customer).”
2. Further, in terms of Section 53 of our MD on KYC “the REs shall verify every day, the ‘UNSCR 1718 Sanctions List of Designated Individuals and Entities‘, as available at https://www.mea.gov.in/Implementation-of-UNSC-Sanctions-DPRK.htm , to take into account any modifications to the list in terms of additions, deletions or other changes and also ensure compliance with the ‘Implementation of Security Council Resolution on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Order, 2017’, as amended from time to time by the Central Government”
3. A reference is also invited to our circular DOR.AML.REC.23/14.06.001/2023-24 dated July 04, 2023 , communicating thereby the Consolidated Lists of UNSC Designated / Sanctioned Individuals and Entities under the UNSC Resolutions relating to non-proliferation. Amendments to the entries in the Lists are carried out from time to time. The last such amendment was notified vide our circular DOR. AML.REC.83/14.06.001/2023-24 dated March 11, 2024 .
4. In this regard, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), GoI has informed that the UNSC Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) has enacted the amendments, specified with strikethrough and/or underline in an entry on its Sanctions List of individuals and entities ( enclosed with this circular). Hence, the ‘designated list’ as referred in Para 2.1 and other relevant paras of the aforementioned Order dated September 01, 2023 is amended in accordance with the changes in the relevant entry.
5. The latest version of the UNSC Sanctions lists on DPRK is accessible on the UN Security Council’s website at the following URLs:
https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1718
6. The REs are advised to take note of the aforementioned communications and ensure meticulous compliance.
Yours faithfully,
(Saidutta Sangram Keshari Pradhan)
General Manager
Encl: As above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2024-25/21 · issued 16 Apr 2024. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Update your sanctions screening systems with the latest UNSC 1718 list amendments for DPRK as enclosed in the circular.
📜 Compliance
Ensure daily verification of the UNSC 1718 Sanctions List from MEA's website and UN Security Council's site.
Review and align your internal compliance procedures with the amended designated list under Section 12A of the WMD Act.
Communicate the changes to your AML/KYC compliance teams and relevant business units.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are an IT/Systems lead at a bank this circular applies to (All regulated entities (banks, NBFCs, payment systems, etc.), AML/KYC compliance teams, Sanctions screening operations, Risk management departments), your first concrete step on “WMD Act Section 12A: UNSC DPRK Sanctions List Updated” is: “Update your sanctions screening systems with the latest UNSC 1718 list amendments for DPRK as enclosed in the circular.” (RBI issued this 16 Apr 2024).
Action required: Update your sanctions screening systems with the latest UNSC 1718 list amendments for DPRK as enclosed in the circular.
Action required: Ensure daily verification of the UNSC 1718 Sanctions List from MEA's website and UN Security Council's site.
Action required: Review and align your internal compliance procedures with the amended designated list under Section 12A of the WMD Act.
Action required: Communicate the changes to your AML/KYC compliance teams and relevant business units.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=12666&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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