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| ▲ The State Department in Washington (Yonhap) |
S Korea-US-Japan forum
S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold forum on countering N. Korea's illicit maritime activities
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the United States and Japan held a joint symposium on countering North Korea's illicit maritime activities in Singapore on Tuesday, the State Department said, as they strive to promote international cooperation to prevent, detect and disrupt Pyongyang's sanctions evasion activities.
The department and foreign ministries of South Korea and Japan co-hosted the event to curb the North's attempts to evade sanctions and earn revenue for its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs in breach of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, according to the department.
"The DPRK continues to import refined petroleum in excess of the U.N.-mandated cap and to generate revenue in support of its WMD and ballistic missile programs by unlawfully exporting coal and iron ore and smuggling prohibited commodity goods through deceptive maritime sanctions evasion practices," the department said in a release. DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"The United States, ROK, and Japan convened this event to strengthen the capabilities of the global maritime industry and government partners to disrupt DPRK exploitation of the global maritime services sector," it added, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
During the event, participants addressed recent trends in North Korea's maritime sanctions evasion practices and potential solutions to challenges faced by the maritime industry in complying with U.N. sanctions.
Participants from 24 countries included industry stakeholders, such as shipowners, brokers, insurers, and commodity traders, as well as government officials representing maritime oversight agencies, law enforcement, flag registry management and other authorities.
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