South Korea submits letter on banned North Korean coal shipments to UNSC

South Korea has submitted to the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) a letter detailing the results of its recent probe into illegal shipments of North Korean coal, a diplomatic source said Monday. Last Friday, Seoul’s customs office said that three South Korean firms brought in 35,038 tons of North Korean coal and pig iron, worth a combined 6.6 billion won (US$5.81 million), on seven occasions between April and October last year, in breach of a U.N. sanctions resolution. The three entities were found to have transshipped the resources at a Russian port and misstated the country of origin to bring them into South Korea, Seoul officials said. The investigation came amid media speculation that Seoul has not been taking due steps to block the entry of the illegal North Korean products as party of efforts to denuclearize the North and foster a lasting peace on the peninsula.  The North is banned from exporting coal, iron ore and other mineral resources under Resolution 2371 adopted in August last year. U.N. sanctions also call for a country to capture and look into a vessel suspected of engaging in prohibited activities with the North.

(Korea Times)