By Kim Bo-eun
The discovery that vessels allegedly shipping North Korean coal to South Korea last year were run by Chinese companies raises concern at a time when China has been attempting to ease UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions imposed on the North, despite a lack of progress in denuclearization talks. The findings also raise suspicions over whether China was involved in other evasions of sanctions on North Korea.
A UNSC report stated Tuesday that a Panama and a Sierra Leone flagged vessel brought 9,000 tons of coal to the South Korean ports of Incheon and Pohang in October last year. Other vessels initially took coal from North Korea to Russia, where the Panama and Sierra Leone-registered vessels allegedly picked it up and brought it to South Korea.
While investigations are ongoing into whether the coal was from North Korea, if this is found to be true, it would be a violation of UNSC sanctions that ban North Korea from exporting coal, and member states from procuring it.
Meanwhile, documents from the Asia-Pacific Region Port State Control Committee state that the Panama and Sierra Leone registered vessels were run by a company based in Dalian, Lianoing Province, China.
The Panama-registered Sky Angel that entered Incheon Port was run by Dalian Sky Ocean International Shipping. The Sky Angel later registered as a Vanuatu vessel. The Sierra Leone-registered Rich Glory that entered the southeastern port of Pohang was found to be owned by Sanhe Marine, another Chinese company based in Dalian.
Moreover, a dispute arose over the South Korean government's responsibility as it did not prevent the vessels from arriving in Incheon and Pohang and unloading the coal. The government did not seize the vessels at the time due to a lack of evidence, according to the foreign ministry, which is seeking to ascertain who imported the coal.
Additionally, the government did not take any measures when the vessels returned to South Korea four months later in February. The Rich Glory and Sky Angel underwent safety inspections at Incheon and Gunsan, but were not seized.
Resolution 2397 adopted by the UN Security Council in December last year states that “member states shall seize, inspect and freeze any vessel in their ports” if there are grounds to believe the vessel was involved in activities, or the transport of items prohibited by resolutions.
The inspections found the Sky Angel had problems with fire and navigation safety and the Rich Glory in documents and working conditions.
The vessels were also found to have entered ports in China, Japan and Russia, according to documents, but no action was taken.