HONOLULU — A U.S.-seized North Korean cargo ship suspected in international sanction violations was sold in a sealed auction.

The Wise Honest was seized in May and towed it to American Samoa. Indonesia detained the ship in 2018 while it was transporting coal.

The U.S. Marshals Service says they don’t disclose winning amounts or buyers in sealed-bid auctions.

The Justice Department didn’t immediately say Wednesday where sale proceeds will go.

Otto Warmbier’s parents filed a claim to the ship, seeking to collect on a multimillion-dollar judgment in the American college student’s death. They say he was tortured in North Korea after being convicted of trying to steal a propaganda poster.

Relatives of South Korea-born Rev. Dong Shik Kim filed a similar claim. They say he was taken hostage, tortured then killed in North Korea.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC.