Russia also claimed in the UN investigation into its arms trade with North Korea that “there is no evidence of violations of sanctions against North Korea.” Even though North Korea was seen transporting containers presumed to be carrying weapons to Russia by rail and ship by rail and ship, showing that it was violating sanctions, it was revealed to be in violation of sanctions.
In an expert panel report released on the 27th (local time), the UN Security Council’s North Korea Sanctions Committee said, “The panel investigated information that Slomacian Ashot Mkrtichev brokered North Korea’s arms trade from the end of last year to the beginning of this year. “We are doing it,” he said. The United States has sanctioned Mkrtychek on charges of trying to broker the sale of North Korean weapons to Russia on more than 20 occasions. Previously, the White House released satellite photos of a Russian freight train carrying containers from North Korea as evidence of arms trading.
However, in a response to the committee, Russia said, “The claims of some member countries (the United States) are not confirmed,” and “Russian authorities have not confirmed any violation of sanctions.”
John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the U.S. National Security Council (NSC), announced on the 13th (local time) that North Korea had delivered more than 1,000 containers worth of military equipment and ammunition to Russia. NSC released satellite photos showing a Russian ship transporting containers from North Korea. News 1Circumstances about the arms trade between North Korea and Russia are coming out one after another. On the 28th, Germany’s ZDF broadcasting reported that Russian artillery is actively attacking on all fronts, firing 20,000 to 30,000 shells a day, and that this is believed to be due to the supply of North Korean ammunition.
It was also estimated that North Korea imported up to 781,497 barrels of refined oil between January and April of this year alone through sanctions evasion such as illegal transshipment, which is more than 1.5 times the limit of 500,000 barrels set by sanctions against North Korea. Most North Korean ships engaged in transshipment activities in China, but Chinese authorities claimed to the UN that “the ships entered the port without loaded baggage and left without it.” The report also presented photos of North Korean marine products, such as dried pollack, whose exports were blocked due to UN sanctions, being sold in Chinese markets, but China said that the country of origin was “falsely indicated.”
Meanwhile, the report pointed out that the virtual currency stolen by North Korea last year amounted to $1.7 billion (approximately 2.3 trillion won), which is three times the amount of the previous year. The North Korea Sanctions Committee also announced that it had begun an investigation into the influx of luxury goods, including Land Rover’s ‘Defender 110’, which was known to have been transported to Pyongyang in January this year.
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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.