 |
| ▲ This computerized image depicts U.N. sanctions against North Korea over the export cap on supplies of refined petroleum products to Pyongyang. (Yonhap) |
N Korea-sanctions
U.N.-reported petroleum exports to N.K. reach only 4 pct of sanctions cap amid Russian omission
SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- The amount of refined petroleum exports to North Korea, as reported to the United Nations, reached only 4 percent of the annual sanctions cap imposed by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) this year, as Russia omitted its notifications, the U.N. website showed Wednesday.
China was the only country to report its refined petroleum exports to North Korea to the UNSC sanctions committee, listing 14,385 barrels in January and 5,519 barrels in February this year, according to the committee's website.
The 19,904 barrels account for only about 4 percent of the 500,000-barrel export cap imposed in 2017 as part of U.N. sanctions in response to North Korea's internationally prohibited launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier that year.
The two-month total is a far cry from the 116,190 barrels reported to the committee during the same period last year.
The figure, however, does not reflect North Korea's actual petroleum inflows, as Russia has ceased submitting its required reports to the committee since January last year.
In May 2024, the United States disclosed that Russia had provided more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to North Korea in March last year alone.
Russia has become the dominant source of economic resources and key technology for North Korea as the two countries have escalated their military alignment amid the Russia-Ukraine War, to which North Korea deployed more than 10,000 troops on the Russian side.
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
