A nuclear-armed North Korea is a danger to the U.S. as well as the rest of the world. Because there are so few foreign policy options to correct the situation, the U.S. and other world powers have been relying on financial and economic sanctions to bring the Kim regime back into denuclearization discussions. In addition, world governments have put sanctions in place to punish the nation for human rights violations, cyber-attacks, and money laundering.
Some countries, however, aren’t complying with the sanctions, according to secret information. Keep reading to find out which countries are supposedly helping North Korea with supplies and money and decide for yourself if the information is true.
1. Russia is a culprit
According to Reuters, two senior Western European security sources have confirmed that in the last few months, Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea at least three times. Providing an economic lifeline to the Communist state is strictly against sanctions set by the United Nations.
2. This is how Russia delivered fuel to the North Koreans
In September, Reuters reported that North Korean ships were sailing directly from Russia back to North Korea. Cut to October and November, when the smuggling took place.
According to Reuters, an anonymous source told it that Russian tankers were transferring the fuel to North Korean ships at sea to avoid detection. Another source told Reuters that, “There is no evidence that this is backed by the Russian state but these Russian vessels are giving a lifeline to the North Koreans.”
3. Russia denies claims
Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti reported that the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed it was absolutely observing sanctions against North Korea. Two sources told Reuters that there were vessels operating out of Russian ports but that they couldn’t give any more details because the information was classified. When Reuters asked the Russian Customs Service if Russian tankers had transferred fuel to North Korean ships it declined to comment — and one owner of a vessel suspected to have smuggled oil totally denied it, according to Reuters.
4. The U.S. State Department issues a warning
According to Reuters, after the secret activity was revealed, the U.S. State Department urged U.N. members — and called on Russia — to “strictly implement” the North Korean sanctions. In addition it urged members to work “more closely together to shut down U.N.-prohibited activities, including ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum and the transport of coal from North Korea.”
5. China is also breaking the rules
In December 2017, Donald Trump accused China of supplying oil to the North Koreans, saying he was “very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea” and that it would prevent “a friendly solution” to the issue regarding the nation’s nuclear program.
Trump tweeted, “Caught RED HANDED. Very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen! “China, according to Reuters, completely denied Trump’s accusation.
6. China’s denial came at a weird time
China’s denial that it was engaging in illicit trade with North Korea came at an odd time. The rebuttal came just one day after the nation blocked the U.S. from convincing the United Nations to black list six ships rumored to have gone against economic sanctions and traded with North Korea, according to what a U.N. Security Council diplomat told Reuters.
7. North Korean ships left Russia with fuel
According to Reuters, at least eight North Korean ships left Russia’s eastern ports in Vladivostok and Nakhodk and traveled home with a cargo of fuel. All eight, however, had declared other final destinations. Reuters tracked the eight ships, which all reported South Korea or China as their destinations, but instead went to North Korean ports.
8. Russia caught in the act
Russian port control documents revealed that the Vityaz left Slavyanka, a port near Vladivostok, on Oct. 15 with 1,600 tons of oil aboard. Its original destination was a fishing fleet in the Japan Sea, but the vessel turned off its transponder for a few days while it was in open sea. According to Reuters, European security sources confirmed that the Russian ship Vityaz made a ship-to-ship transfer in that open sea with the North Korean vessel Sam Ma 2.
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