South Korea has announced unilateral sanctions against North Korea for the first time in nearly five years.

The move is in response to Pyongyang's repeated launches of missiles.

South Korea's foreign ministry announced the sanctions on Friday, noting that the country strongly denounces the North's missile provocations of unprecedented frequency. It also said the launches were apparently conducted under a scenario of using tactical nuclear weapons against South Korea.

The sanctions target 15 individuals and 16 organizations. The individuals include senior officials at the North Korean military's Second Academy of Nature Science who are believed to be in charge of the country's nuclear and missile development. The designated organizations include the Ministry of Rocket Industry and its related trading firms.

The announcement said the individuals were involved in nuclear and missile programs or the procurement of necessary materials. The organizations were reportedly linked to Pyongyang's efforts to evade sanctions based on UN Security Council resolutions.

The foreign ministry said the decision will contribute to strengthening coordination with the United States and Japan, which have already imposed their own sanctions.

South Korea's last unilateral sanctions came in December 2017, following North Korea's launch of a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile the previous month.

South Korean media reports say the announcement may have only symbolic effects, as inter-Korean business transactions have come to a halt due to past sanctions.