A North Korea-flagged vessel, suspected of smuggling coal in violation of United Nations sanctions, sank in the Yellow Sea last month after colliding with a Chinese ship, per sources.

The incident, which occurred in February near a southeastern Chinese port, is believed to have left between 15 and 20 North Korean crew members dead.

Despite rescue efforts by Chinese authorities, only a few crew members survived, while the Chinese vessel sustained minor damage. Neither North Korea nor China has officially acknowledged the accident, likely due to the illegal nature of the ship’s activities.

The North Korean vessel has switched off its Automatic identification System (AIS) while sailing through the Yellow Sea, a common practice among North Korean ships trying to evade international tracking.

The area where the collision occurred is known as a hotspot for smuggling North Korean coal, which is banned under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2371.

The resolution, passed in 2017, prohibits North Korea from exporting coal, iron ore, seafood, and other resources in response to its ballistic missile program.

A source familiar with the incident said that poor visibility due to heavy fog may have contributed to the collision. The vessel was overloaded with coal, causing both the cargo and the ship to sink together.

Although Chinese authorities conducted a rescue operation, there has been no official statement from Beijing regarding the incident.

A source suggested that China may not want to disclose the accident, as it could indicate its direct involvement in violating UNSC sanctions. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service stated it is closely monitoring the situation.

Smuggling is a major source of income for North Korea, with reports revealing that the country earned approximately $2.15 billion from coal shipments between 2017 and 2023.

The Seoul-based Institute for National Security Strategy has reported that sanctioned refined oil sales have also generated around $1.8 billion for Pyogyang.

Experts say that despite China’s customs enforcement, smuggling operations remain difficult to track due to their vast networks.

Hong Jae-hwan, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said that North Korean coal continues to be in high demand in China due to its quality and low price.

Per reports, North Korea collaborates with Chinese businesses to forge shipping documents and manipulate tracking data to conceal coal shipments.

A similar incident occurred near China’s Lianyungang port, but unlike the recent accident, all crew members were rescued, and China’s Transportation Ministry publicly acknowledged the event.

According to reports another North Korean transport vessel may have sunk in June 2024, resulting in the deaths of up to 90 North Korean troops. However, details on that incident remain unclear.

References: koreatimes, nikkei asia

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