22 USC § 9221a - Prohibition on indirect correspondent accounts

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t22/s9221a"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "22 USC § 9221a - Prohibition on indirect correspondent accounts"
title_number: 22
title_name: "FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE"
section_number: "9221a"
section_name: "Prohibition on indirect correspondent accounts"
chapter_number: 99
chapter_name: "NORTH KOREA SANCTIONS AND POLICY ENHANCEMENT"
subchapter_number: "II"
subchapter_name: "SANCTIONS AGAINST NORTH KOREAN PROLIFERATION, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, AND ILLICIT ACTIVITIES"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 114–122, title II, § 201A, as added Pub. L. 115–44, title III, § 312(a), Aug. 2, 2017, 131 Stat. 945.)"
---


# § 9221a. Prohibition on indirect correspondent accounts

**(a)** **In general** section 9214 of this title

Except as provided in subsection (b), if a United States financial institution has or obtains knowledge that a correspondent account established, maintained, administered, or managed by that institution for a foreign financial institution is being used by the foreign financial institution to provide significant financial services indirectly to any person, foreign government, or financial institution designated under , the United States financial institution shall ensure that such correspondent account is no longer used to provide such services.

**(b)** **Exception** A United States financial institution is authorized to process transfers of funds to or from North Korea, or for the direct or indirect benefit of any person, foreign government, or financial institution that is designated under section 9214 of this title, only if the transfer—

**(1)** arises from, and is ordinarily incident and necessary to give effect to, an underlying transaction that has been authorized by a specific or general license issued by the Secretary of the Treasury; and

**(2)** does not involve debiting or crediting a North Korean account.

**(c)** **Definitions** In this section:

**(1)** **Correspondent account** section 5318A of title 31

The term “correspondent account” has the meaning given that term in .

**1** **United States financial institution** [^1]August 2, 2017

The term “United States financial institution” means  has the meaning given that term in section 510.310 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on .

So in original.

**(3)** **Foreign financial institution** August 2, 2017

The term “foreign financial institution” has the meaning given that term in section 1010.605 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on .

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 114–122, title II, § 201A, as added Pub. L. 115–44, title III, § 312(a), Aug. 2, 2017, 131 Stat. 945.)