KUMJINGANG3

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Sanctioned North Korean tankers defying UN rules

A number of sanctioned North Korean oil tankers, the 'Song Won 2' (IMO: 8312497), 'An San 1' (IMO: 7303803), 'Kum Jin Gang 3' and 'Sin Phyong 9' (IMO: 8916293). have been openly transmitting AIS signals in Chinese waters in July 2025, despite U.N. resolution requiring Beijing to seize and inspect the vessels, as China and Russia were ignoring illicit DPRK activity. The latter three have also frequented an oil pier at Russia’s Vostochny Port, the DPRK tankers’ main destination for fuel runs, in the past. The vessels were underway presumably for fuel pickups. The four ships were under U.N. sanctions. A fifth vessel, the 'Chong Ryong San', was not subject to U.N. sanctions, but the now-disbanded U.N. Panel of Experts previously reported on the tanker illegally shuttling petroleum products to North Korea’s main port of Nampho and conducting illicit ship-to-ship transfers. The vessel, as it is not registered with the International Maritime Organization and thus lacks an IMO number.

Tankers violated UN sanctions

A Japanese patrol aircraft spotted and took pictures of one more North Korean STS oil transfer operation in the early hours of Feb 13, 2018, in the East China Sea. The North Korean and Hong Kong flagged tankers "Rye Song Gang 1" and "Wan Heng 11" were involved in an illicit operation of supplying fuel to sanctioned North Korea. Japan has informed UN Security Council on this case, expressing concern over the involvement of the "Wan Heng 11", a new name in list of ships violating the UN sanctions. Report with photos: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/14/asia/north-korean-ship-japan-intl/index.html