Blacklist call over sanctions breach

United Nations experts have recommended blacklisting 14 vessels for violating sanctions against North Korea in a report that accuses the country of increasing illegal coal exports, imports of petroleum products and continuing with cyber attacks on financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges to gain illicit revenue.

The 267-page report also accused North Korea of importing luxury vehicles, watches and liquor and other sanctioned items, including robotic machinery, and continuing to illegally access international banking channels "mainly by using third party intermediaries."

The UN Security Council has imposed increasingly tough sanctions against North Korea, including banning most of its exports and severely limiting is imports, to pressure Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The panel of experts made 39 recommendations to the Security Council, including on the blacklisting of 14 vessels.

It said one vessel is registered in Sierra Leone and six were previously registered in the West African nation. Two are North Korean, one is Chinese, one Vietnamese, one was formerly registered in Togo, one was formerly registered in St Kitts and Nevis, and the flag of one is unknown.

China has been North Korea's largest trading partner and has been considered critical to enforcing UN sanctions.

The panel said the Chinese-flagged Yun Hong 8 - which it recommended for sanctions - made at least 10 port calls between February and October 2019 at the North Korean port of Nampo and delivered refined petroleum. It was also observed during that period receiving refined petroleum from other foreign-flagged vessels, which an unidentified UN member state said was likely for delivery to North Korea.

China responded to the panel's inquiry about the vessel by questioning "the serious lack of accuracy of the relevant information," the report said. China's Foreign Ministry and UN ambassador have said the country is implementing the sanctions.

But a photo included in the report shows multiple coal-laden North Korea-flagged vessels at anchor near Lianyungang, China, which the panel said is being used to conduct ship-to-ship coal transfers. The panel said it is investigating a Vietnam-flagged vessel, the Phuong Linh 269, suspected of delivering coal originating in North Korea to the Chinese port of Qisha on multiple occasions.