SEOUL: The UN security council has blacklisted dozens of ships and shipping companies involved in smuggling oil and coal in and out of North Korea.
The security council’s North Korea sanctions committee on Friday acted on a request by the US, took action against 21 shipping companies – including five based in China 15 North Korean ships, 12 non-North Korean ships and a Taiwanese man.
The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said the sanctions designations the largest agreed by the council’s committee were aimed at shutting down North Korea’s illegal smuggling activities to obtain oil and sell coal.
“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 regime,” she said in a statement.
The list was part of a request by Washington late last month for 33 ships, 27 shipping companies and the Taiwanese man to be sanctioned. China delayed that bid on 2 March, but did not give a reason. The 15-member committee works by consensus.
Washington then proposed a shortened list on Thursday, which was unanimously agreed by the committee on Friday.
