The United States is sanctioning two Chinese shipping companies linked to helping North Korea evade sanctions.
The move comes amid reports the North has been getting around sanctions through illicit ship-to-ship transactions.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
Amid concerning reports North Korea has been able to elude both UN and U.S. sanctions via illicit ship-to-ship transfers,... the U.S. Treasury Department announced Thursday,... that it's sanctioning two Chinese shipping companies, Dalian Haibo International Freight and Lianoning Danxing International Forwarding, for aiding the regime in evading sanctions.
The Treasury Department says Dalian Haibo provided goods and services to or in support of Paeksol Trading Corporation,... a North Korean entity previously sanctioned for engaging in metal or coal trade and possibly providing revenue to the regime.
Liaoning Danxing operated in the transportation industry in North Korea,... and used what the U.S. called "deceptive practices" that helped North Korean procurement officials in the European Union to purchase goods for the regime.
It also said that, in a related move,... it has updated its advisory on North Korea's illicit shipping practices to name dozens more vessels suspected of exporting North Korean coal or engaging in ship-to-ship transfers of oil.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the United States and their allies remain committed to achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea,... adding that the full implementation of UN Security Council sanctions is "crucial to a successful outcome".
The last time the U.S. issued sanctions against North Korea was in December,... when it targeted Choe Ryong-hae,.. a close aide to the North Korean leader, for human rights abuses.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.