Chinese authorities have notified Beijing Capital International Airport of a list of North Korean individuals who are blacklisted by new U.N. sanctions for their involvement in the North's weapons program, a source with knowledge of the issue said Thursday. 

The list of 16 North Korean individuals was added to the U.N. sanctions blacklist after the U.N. Security Council adopted a new resolution following the North's fourth nuclear test and rocket launch this year. 

"The list was delivered to the immigration department of the Beijing Capital International Airport and relevant measures appear to be implemented," the source said on the condition of anonymity. 

China's customs authorities are likely to inspect cargo destined for and coming from North Korea via the North's state-run airline Air Koryo, the source said. 

Such measures are in line with the new U.N. sanctions. 

Chinese officials have said Beijing will "earnestly" implement the new U.N. sanctions, but they should not affect the well-being and humanitarian needs of North Korean people.

Winning China's cooperation is key to ensuring the effectiveness of U.N. sanctions against North Korea because China accounts for nearly 90 percent of the North's foreign trade.

Still, China is unlikely to put crippling sanctions on North Korea because a sudden collapse of the regime could spark a refugee crisis at its border and lead to a pro-U.S., democratic Korea on its doorstep, analysts say. (Yonhap)