Taipei reaffirms support of North Korea sanctions

By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter





The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday reaffirmed its cooperation with the international community on sanctions against North Korea, after Taiwan-based individuals and entities were included in an expanded sanction list released by the US Department of the Treasury on Friday.

Restrictions on North Korea’s imports of refined petroleum imposed by UN Security Council Resolution 2397 on Dec. 22, 2017, are a critical part of the UN sanctions regime, the department said in a news release on Friday, adding that the international community must implement and enforce all existing sanctions and take action against those who evade them.

The department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control listed parties participating in ship-to-ship transfers that enable North Korea to import refined petroleum products, which it described as a “deceptive practice” by Pyongyang to evade sanctions.

The logo of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pictured in Taipei on March 3. Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times

The list included Taiwan-based individuals Huang Wang-ken (黃旺根) and Chen Mei-hsiang (陳美香), and companies Jui Pang Shipping Co (瑞邦海運) and Jui Zong Ship Management Co (瑞榮船舶管理), as well as Hong Kong-based Jui Cheng Shipping Co (瑞誠海運), for having engaged in at least one significant importation from or exportation to North Korea of goods, services or technology.

Also included was the vessel Shang Yuan Bao (International Maritime Organization reference No. 8126070), in which Huang, Chen and the three firms all have an interest.

Huang and Chen were responsible for the Panama-flagged vessel last year conducting at least two ship-to-ship transfers with North Korea-flagged vessels, the department said.

“The United States acknowledges and is grateful for Taiwan’s continued efforts to combat the DPRK’s efforts to evade sanctions and to obtain resources for its WMD [weapons of mass destruction] and missile programs,” the office said, referring to North Korea by the acronym for its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The ministry yesterday said in a statement that it would not comment on investigations by local judicial agencies into the involvement of the Taiwan-based individuals and entities supporting North Korea.

The nation continues to cooperate with the UN Security Council and the global community in urging North Korea to forsake its nuclear weapons development programs, the ministry said.

The ministry called on Taiwanese not to engage in financial and commercial activities in breach of the UN Security Council’s resolutions to avoid related sanctions.