2024-03-31 22:20:38
The Republic of Korea and the United States are ready to consider introducing independent sanctions against legal entities and individuals involved in oil smuggling to the DPRK.
As Day.Az reports with reference to TASS, this was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.
On March 26, the first meeting of the bilateral working group to combat illegal financing of the DPRK’s missile and nuclear programs took place in Washington. More than 30 officials from the field of diplomacy, intelligence, and specialists in combating sanctions evasion took part in it. The United States and South Korea also discussed the problem of oil trade with the DPRK in volumes exceeding the quota established by the UN Security Council.
“As is known from numerous public reports, a significant portion of smuggled refined oil is brought into North Korea through illegal cooperation with legal entities and individuals from the region. The Republic of Korea and the United States will consider imposing independent sanctions against individuals and companies involved in oil smuggling as a efforts to eradicate these illegal activities,” Seoul said.
“South Korea and the United States expressed concern that following the rapprochement between North Korea and Russia, the possibility of supplies of Russian refined oil arises. The parties discussed proposals that could stop illegal cooperation between Russia and North Korea,” the press release says. The parties called for compliance with UN Security Council resolutions.
Earlier, the Financial Times newspaper, citing satellite images and expert opinion, stated that Russia allegedly began direct oil supplies to the DPRK in violation of UN sanctions – in March, five North Korean tankers visited the Russian port. These were supposedly the first direct sea deliveries since 2017. As the publication noted, the UN has set a limit of 500 thousand barrels of refined oil per year. According to experts, North Korean tankers could export 125 thousand barrels. Supplies are not considered a violation of sanctions if they are reported to the relevant UN body.
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