U.S. lawmakers set new push for more North Korea sanctions - aides

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation on Thursday to broaden sanctions against North Korea by imposing stiffer punishments on international companies that do business with Pyongyang, congressional committee aides told Reuters.

The bill would authorise sanctions on people and businesses outside the United States, the sources said. Current sanctions are largely focussed on Americans and U.S. companies.

The initiative, sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats, responds to concern in Congress about last year's cyberattack on Sony Pictures <6758.T>, which was blamed on Pyongyang, as well as what lawmakers see as the international failure to rein in the reclusive state's nuclear weapons programme.

The measure is co-sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats, including the leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which handles sanctions legislation in the chamber.

A similar bill is likely in the U.S. Senate. It is expected to enjoy strong bipartisan support in both chambers.

The bill would authorise U.S. officials to freeze assets held in the United States of companies found to have direct ties to illicit North Korean activities like its nuclear programme, as well as those that do business with North Korea, providing its government with hard currency, the aides said.

It would also allow for the imposition of fines.

North Korea is already heavily sanctioned by the United States and United Nations for its arms programs and nuclear tests. President Barack Obama imposed new sanctions last year aimed at cutting the country's remaining links to the international financial system.

The new bill would also require the White House to report to Congress exactly what happened in the Sony attack, and spell out whether it constituted a cyber attack on the United States, an aide said.

The bill is intended to push the Obama administration, which contends the president already has sufficient authority to punish Pyongyang.

"The purpose of the bill is to provide an incentive for the president to act more aggressively in the use of sanctions again on these parties and third countries to try to further squeeze the North Korea regime financially," an aide said, requesting anonymity in order to speak freely about legislation that had not yet been announced.

Sony said on Thursday that Amy Pascal would step down as co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment after the hackers, angry about a movie she championed mocking North Korea's leader, exposed a raft of embarrassing emails between her and other Hollywood figures.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Sandra Maler)

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