WASHINGTON • The US has asked the UN Security Council to blacklist 10 ships for circumventing sanctions on North Korea, documents show, while South Korea’s President suggested delaying military drills with the Americans to ease tensions ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics..
WASHINGTON • The US has asked the UN Security Council to blacklist 10 ships for circumventing sanctions on North Korea, documents show, while South Korea’s President suggested delaying military drills with the Americans to ease tensions ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics.
Documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday say the 10 vessels had been conducting ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum products to North Korean vessels or transporting North Korean coal in violation of United Nations sanctions imposed over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes.
The ships would be blacklisted — meaning countries would be required to ban them from entering their ports — if none of the 15 members of the Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee object by afternoon today.
North Korea is under a UN arms embargo and the Security Council has banned trade in exports such as coal, textiles, seafood, iron and other minerals to choke funding for Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programmes. In September, the council put a cap of two million barrels a year on refined petroleum products exports to North Korea.
The ships targeted are Xin Sheng Hai (flag unknown); Hong-Kong-flagged Lighthouse Winmore; Togo-flagged Yu Yuan; Panama-flagged Glory Hope 1, Kai Xiang, and Billions No. 18; and North Korean-flagged Ul Ji Bong 6, Rung Ra 2, Rye Song Gang 1, and Sam Jong 2.
Four ships were designated for carrying coal from North Korea by the council’s North Korea sanctions committee in October.
