A North Korean cargo ship known for smuggling coal in violation of U.N. sanctions sailed into a Russian harbor, the U.S.-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) said on Mar.12.
Marine Traffc’s vessel tracking data indicates that the North Korea-owned vessel “Kum Ya” docked at Pier 17 (PPK-3) in the port of Vanino, Russia, on Mar. 6 at 5:19 a.m., RFA said.
A photograph from Planet Labs on Mar.10 captures a ship with the same identification signal as Kum Ya.
The U.N. listed Kum Ya as an illegal coal carrier for alleged coal smuggling to China in 2021. U.N. Security Council resolutions 1718 and 2397 explicitly limit the trade of North Korean coal.
Pier 17, the docking location of the cargo vessel, is recognized as the “coal pier,” according to RFA.
Despite the absence of indications of coal being loaded or unloaded, RFA noted, “Such a move raises suspicions of illegal coal transfer, especially given the heightened concerns about arms trade between North Korea and Russia.”
