U.S. spy satellites captured images of Chinese ships illegally selling oil to North Korean ships on roughly 30 occasions, The Chosun Ilbo reported Tuesday.
The satellite images show China trading oil with North Korean vessels in the West Sea close to China, South Korean sources told The Chosun Ilbo.
U.S. satellites have produced images of what reportedly are Chinese ships selling oil to North Korean illegally. (U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control)
In September, the United Nations Security Council barred North Korea from importing natural gas due to North Korea’s aggressive nuclear program and multiple missile tests.
Sanctions were also placed on its transport ministry, the Maritime Administration and several shipping companies with shipping vessels.
According to the satellite images, the ship is identified as Rye Song Gang 1. The ship was a part of the Nov. 21 sanctions that was possibly trading oil to avoid the sanctions.
According to the South Korean newspaper, the ship can be seen connected to a Chinese vessel in satellite images taken on October 19.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying denied the report that China is illegally selling oil to North Korea.
“The Chinese government has been comprehensively, accurately, faithfully and strictly implementing the Security Council’s DPRK-related resolutions,” he said in a press conference, Ecns.cn reported.
“If there is solid evidence proving that there is on the Chinese side any violation of the Security Council resolutions, China will surely deal with it in accordance with laws and regulations, and not a single case of violation should get away with it,” Hua added.
