China keeps importing U.N.-sanctioned minerals from N.K.

SEOUL, March 29 (Yonhap) -- China is continuously violating U.N. resolutions banning imports of North Korean minerals, a U.S. broadcaster reported Wednesday.

China keeps importing from its traditional ally gold, silver, copper and zinc all of which are put on the U.N. sanctions list, with such imports last month alone amounting to US$650,000, Voice of America said, citing data from China's General Administration of Customs.

Resolutions Nos. 2270 and 2321, which the U.N. Security Council adopted last year to punish the North's nuclear and missiles tests, also ban U.N. member nations from importing titanium, vanadium and nickel from the communist country. Minerals are a key source of hard currency for the North to maintain its regime and develop weapons of mass destruction.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopts the Resolution 2321 against North Korea for its September nuclear test during a meeting at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Nov. 30, 2016. (Yonhap)

North Korean vessels presumably carrying minerals were spotted at Chinese ports, the broadcaster said, citing MarineTraffic, which provides live ship tracking intelligence worldwide.

The boats are moored at the ports of Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, and Penglai and Yantai, Shandong Province, which handle minerals, according to the broadcaster.

As of Tuesday, the North Korean ship Haebangsan was docked at Lianyungang, and several other ships -- the Sobaeksan, Rungna No. 1, Haoyu and Hungbong No. 3 -- were also waiting for their entry on seas some 20 kilometers off the port, the broadcaster said.

The Uri Star, Jinhung, Kumgansan and Gumdae were staying near Yantai, and the Munsusan and Jonwon No. 67 were spotted on seas off Penglai, it added.

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