UN blacklists dozens of shipping businesses in relation to DPRK

World
Europe

The United Nations Security Council has blacklisted dozens of ships and shipping companies on Friday over oil and coal smuggling by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The council’s DPRK sanctions committee acted on a request by the United States, designating 21 shipping companies, 15 DPRK ships, 12 non-DPRK ships and one individual.

This largest ever package agreed by the council’s committee were aimed at shutting down illegal smuggling activities to obtain oil and sell coal, according to the US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

“The approval of this historic sanctions package is a clear sign that the international community is united in our efforts to keep up maximum pressure on the North Korean (DPRK) regime,” Haley said in a statement.

Tension over DPRK’s tests of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles surged last year and raised fears of US military action in response to DPRK’s threat to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the US mainland.

But the situation has eased significantly since the DPRK sent athletes to the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang in February.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un is scheduled to meet with the Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in on April 27 and with US President Donald Trump some time in May.

While Trump has agreed to meet Kim, he tweeted on Wednesday that “maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained.”

(With input from Reuters)