朝鮮煤炭“流入”韓國令專家們擔憂

Following Seoul's announcement that South Korean companies have illegally imported North Korean coal, U.S. experts are worried about North Korean trade that contravenes international sanctions.

The Korea Customs Service (KCS) announced earlier this month that three South Korean companies illegally imported North Korean coal that was transshipped at Russian ports, in violation of United Nations resolutions.

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution on August 5, 2017, banning North Korea from exporting coal, iron, lead and other materials. Another resolution later that year, on December 22, called for U.N. members to seize and inspect vessels suspected of transporting prohibited items.

According to the KCS, in seven shipments between April and October of last year, three South Korean companies imported a total of 35,038 tons of North Korean coal and pig iron with a combined worth of $5.81 million.

The South Korean government is now seeking the prosecution of the three companies for the illicit import of the materials and forging customs documents to state the coal and pig iron were of Russian origin.

Sanctions experts said South Korea’s illegal import of banned North Korean coal is a major violation of U.N. sanctions and that the U.N. panel of experts on North Korea may want to try to further investigate the ships that transported the coal to South Korea.首爾宣佈有韓國公司非法從朝鮮進口煤之後，美國專家對朝鮮繞過國際制裁進行貿易感到擔心。

韓國海關8月早些時候宣佈，3家韓國公司非法購買了在俄羅斯港口中轉的朝鮮煤，違反了聯合國的制裁決議。

聯合國安理會2017年8月5日通過決議，禁止朝鮮出口煤、鐵、鉛等物品。隨後，當年12月22日通過決議，要求聯合國成員國截獲和檢查懷疑運載違禁物品的船隻。

韓國海關說，去年4月到10月，3家韓國公司總共購買7批朝鮮的煤和生鐵，總量3萬5千38噸，總值581億美元。

韓國政府準備起訴這3家非法進口朝鮮貨物的公司。這些公司僞造了海關文件，稱這些煤和生鐵來自俄羅斯。

制裁專家說，韓國公司非法進口朝鮮貨物，嚴重違反了聯合國的制裁決議，聯合國的朝鮮問題專家組可能會進一步調查那些把朝鮮貨物運到韓國的船隻。