It has been reported that North Korean ships, which are on the list of sanctions against North Korea according to UN Security Council resolutions, have recently been appearing one after another off the coast of China.
However, the Chinese authorities appear to have taken no special action against the ship, raising criticism that they may in fact be aiding North Korea’s ‘illegal activities’.
According to the ship operation information website ‘Marine Traffic’ on the 5th, the North Korean oil tanker ‘Cheonmasan’ entered Chinese territorial waters near Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China on the 2nd and is still staying in the same place as of today. The ‘Cheonmasan’ is a ship that was subject to Security Council sanctions in 2018.
UN member states have an obligation to crack down on the entry of ships on the Security Council’s list of sanctions against North Korea, such as the Cheonmasan, into their own territorial waters. Depending on the severity of the sanctions, measures such as banning the ship in question from entering the port or freezing its assets, that is, detention, must be taken.
However, looking at the Marine Traffic data, it seems highly likely that the Chinese authorities did not take any action against the ‘Cheonmasan’ for at least three days.
Meanwhile, another North Korean oil tanker, Mubong-1, which has a history of violating Security Council resolutions in the past, was also found to have been sailing in waters east of China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan Port on the 2nd of this month.
The North Korean oil tanker ‘Cheonmasan’, which is subject to UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea, was captured in waters near Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China, on the 5th. (Marine traffic capture)The waters east of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port are known to be a place where North Korean ships frequently appear to illegally trade materials restricted for import and export to North Korea according to Security Council resolutions through sea transshipment. Sea transshipment with North Korean ships is a violation of Security Council Resolution 2375.
In addition, Security Council Resolution 2397 limits the annual limit of refined oil North Korea can import from UN member countries to 500,000 barrels (approximately 70,000 tons), but oil tankers frequently enter and exit Nampo Port, North Korea’s largest trade port, and large-scale oil storage is maintained. Facility expansion is also continuing.
Considering these circumstances, domestic and foreign experts point out, “It is highly likely that North Korea continues to import refined oil from China and other countries that exceeds the annual limit set by the Security Council resolution.”
In relation to this, Korea, the United States, Japan, and major European countries sent a letter to China’s Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun in July of this year, asking him to “prevent activities to evade Security Council sanctions against North Korea occurring in Chinese territorial waters.” However, at the time, China remained ignorant, saying, “We are faithfully implementing the Security Council sanctions resolution.”
Moreover, since last year when North Korea resumed test launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), the Chinese authorities have put the brakes on it, arguing with Russia that ‘the United States is responsible’ and ‘sanctions are useless’ whenever there has been discussion of a joint response at the Security Council level.
North Korea’s launch of ballistic missiles and all aircraft using such technology is also a violation of Security Council resolutions. However, although China and Russia, as permanent members of the Security Council, participated in the adoption of such resolutions on sanctions against North Korea until 2017, they are currently being criticized for taking steps that are far from the same.
For this reason, experts say there is a high possibility that the Chinese authorities will not take issue with North Korea’s third attempt to launch a reconnaissance satellite this month, as predicted. Since space launch vehicles for satellites also use ballistic missile technology, North Korea’s attempt to launch a reconnaissance satellite is itself a violation of the Security Council resolution.
Seongmook Moon, director of the Center for Unification Strategy at the Korea Institute for National Strategy, said, “There is a difference between China’s words and actions regarding the implementation of Security Council resolutions. “Even if an emergency meeting of the Security Council is held to respond to North Korea’s launch of a reconnaissance satellite, it will be difficult to adopt a resolution to further sanctions or even a statement condemning North Korea due to opposition from China and Russia,” he predicted.
Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, also expressed sympathy with this view. However, Professor Park predicted, “Unlike Russia, which has recently been closely aligned with North Korea, China is keeping its distance somewhat,” and added, “We cannot rule out the possibility of abstaining rather than exercising the veto (when discussing the adoption of additional resolutions, etc.).” did.
It is observed that North Korean Workers’ Party General Secretary Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin intensively discussed matters such as arms trade and military technology transfer at the summit held on the 13th of last month.
Professor Park said, “I think there are significant restrictions on the Chinese government’s ability to systematically support North Korea in violation of Security Council resolutions,” adding, “Instead, it does not actively crack down on individuals and companies that violate sanctions resolutions (North Korea). “We will try to open up space for this,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lim Soo-seok, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a regular briefing that day, “The government is closely watching North Korea’s suspected sanctions evasion,” and added, “We will continue to make diplomatic efforts in close cooperation with the international community to ensure that all UN member states faithfully implement Security Council resolutions.” “We will do it,” he said.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.