South Korea on Thursday welcomed fresh U.S. sanctions on North Korea, saying they are expected to "contribute greatly" to international pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

"The government welcomes the U.S. government's announcement Thursday of a new executive order for the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2270 and the U.S. sanctions bill on North Korea," Seoul's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "The executive order demonstrates the U.S.'s strong resolve to respond to North Korea's repeated provocations, including nuclear tests and missile launches."

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday (Washington time) issued an executive order further tightening sanctions on Pyongyang to punish it for its nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch last month. The order carries out both the new U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution and the recently enacted punitive measures announced by Washington that aim to choke off sources of cash for the regime, including blocking the export of the North's mineral resources.

But it also has new measures, such as the "denying of access to property of any person found to have engaged in, facilitated or been responsible for the exportation of workers from North Korea, including exportation to generate revenue for the government of North Korea or the Workers' Party."

"The executive order is expected to greatly contribute to the mutual reinforcement of the implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolution, which we are pushing for through close coordination with the U.S. bilateral sanctions and actions taken by the international community against the North," the ministry said.

It also pledged to make continued efforts with the international community to change North Korea's "calculus and actions" to force it to abandon its nuclear programs. (Yonhap)