Russia Supplies Refined Oil to North Korea, Defying UN Sanctions

The Financial Times analyzed the satellite images with the UK think tank
The very first case of direct supply to North Korea by sea

Reports have emerged that Russia has begun to supply refined oil directly to North Korea by sea, ignoring UN sanctions.

The Financial Times (FT) revealed on the 26th (local time) that this situation was captured through the analysis of satellite images in collaboration with the UK think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). According to the report, at least five North Korean oil tankers have been moving since the 7th to load petroleum products at the Russian Far East Vostochny Port. This is the first case of direct sea transport to North Korea since the UN Security Council imposed strict restrictions on the import of refined oil into North Korea in 2017 in response to its nuclear test, according to the FT. RUSI estimated that the petroleum products supplied through Vostochny Port over the past few weeks could reach 125,000 barrels, a quarter of the annual 500,000 barrel limit allowed under UN sanctions against North Korea. Those ships are registered as North Korean petroleum products carriers and presumed to be loaded with petroleum products such as refined oil at the pier operated by a Russian oil company in Vostochny Port. Two of them were confirmed by satellite images to have moved from Vostochny Port to North Korea’s Chongjin Port.

The North Korean ships captured at Vostochny Port by satellite images include the Paek Yang San 1 on the 7th, the Wol Bong San on the 10th, the Kum Jin Gang 3 on the 14th, and the An San 1 on the 22nd. Paek Yang San 1 was also photographed at Chongjin Port on the 13th.

Joseph Byrne, a researcher at RUSI, said, “The ships we saw in the Russian port are some of North Korea’s largest capacity oil tankers, and they continue to frequent the port.” He also emphasized, “Some of these ships are designated by the UN (as sanction targets), so they should not even be allowed to enter foreign ports, let alone transport oil.” This oil supply occurred after North Korea began supplying thousands of containers of munitions to Russia last August. Military experts believe these military supplies contributed significantly to the war in Ukraine.

Hugh Griffiths, former coordinator of the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea, criticized this as “a direct challenge to the sanctions regime against North Korea, which is on the verge of collapse.” He added, “This is a blatant violation of the (Security Council) sanctions signed directly by Vladimir Putin (Russian President) in a clear oil-for-weapons barter exchange.” He further claimed that “this shows Russia’s trajectory from being an international troublemaker to becoming an outlaw state in recent years.”