The government has seized a Chinese vessel suspected of transporting oil products to a North Korean ship in international waters, in violation of U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions, a foreign ministry official said Friday.
The official said a Hong Kong-flagged vessel, named Lighthouse Winmore, secretly transferred 600 tons of refined petroleum products to a North Korean ship on Oct. 19.
South Korean customs have been inspecting the ship after it entered port at Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, on Nov. 24.
“UNSC sanctions on Pyongyang prohibit any ship-to-ship transfer with North Korean vessels,” the official said.
Lighthouse Winmore was chartered by a Taiwanese investment firm _ Billions Bunker Group.
It previously entered Yeosu on Oct. 11 to load up on refined petroleum products.
It was supposed to deliver the products to Taiwan. But it instead transferred them to four ships, including a North Korean vessel, according to South Korean customs.
The foreign ministry said it will take relevant measures before filing a report to the UNSC.
“The case shows how North Korea has been dodging UNSC sanctions through its illegal trade network,” a ministry official said.
The incident came after the United States found Chinese vessels transferring petroleum products to North Korean ships in international waters up to 30 times since October.
The UNSC is currently examining the illegal trafficking cases, according to the foreign ministry.
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