China bans N. Korean ships from Dandong port in apparent punishment

SHENYANG, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- China has reportedly prohibited North Korean vessels from making port calls to Chinese ports, sources said Thursday, in apparent anticipation of fresh U.N. sanctions on the communist North for the country's recent nuclear test and a long-range missile launch.

A Chinese businessman here in Dandong said his recent request for a North Korean ship to enter the seaport in the Chinese city has been rejected by port authorities.

The Dandong port, located just across a river from North Korea, has been a hub for bilateral trade between the two communist allies, through which an estimated US$1.3 billion worth of North Korean goods, including natural resources, were shipped to China in 2015.

"Most North Korean exports currently come through Dandong port and an entry ban on North Korean ships may upset North Korea's economic growth, as well as its efforts to earn hard currency," the businessman said, while speaking on condition of anonymity.

The report came hours after the United States and China reached an agreement on new U.N. Security Council sanctions against North Korea to punish the impoverished country for its fourth and latest nuclear test that was soon followed by its launch of a satellite believed to be a disguise for a long-range missile test.

Earlier reports said the new U.N. sanctions include prohibiting North Korean ships from all seaports throughout the world.

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