Japan Reports Alleged N. Korea Offshore Smuggling Case

May 30, 2018

Tokyo- The Japanese government said Tuesday that it has reported a fifth suspected case of offshore smuggling involving North Korea to the United Nations.

A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force P3C patrol plane found a North Korean-registered tanker alongside a small vessel of unknown nationality on the high seas in the East China Sea in the small hours of May 19, the government said.

The tanker and the small vessel, while being illuminated, were connected with a hose at a point some 350 kilometers southeast of Shanghai, the government said.

The actions of the two ships were apparently offshore smuggling, which is prohibited under U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed on North Korea for its nuclear and missile programs, the Japanese government said.

The government identified the tanker as Ji Song 6, which is subject to U.N. sanctions. Japan notified China of the case as the small vessel carried what appeared to be a Chinese flag.

In January-February this year, Japan reported four suspected offshore smuggling cases involving North Korea.

It has since strengthened its monitoring efforts by cooperating with the Australian and Canadian militaries, assuming North Korea is increasing the sophistication of its smuggling activities. Jiji Press