First Inspection of NK Vessel Since the UN Resolution

[imText1]The first inspection of a North Korean vessel, which was accused of carrying military equipment, occurred for the first time since the UN Security Council decided unanimously on sanctions against NK. The inspection is the first case of punitive measures stipulated in the UN Resolution 1718.

The Resolution requires relative UN member states to check vessels heading toward North Korea, if suspected to be containing arms or related materials, it must prevent entry of such items into NK.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong’s leading English newspaper, the South China Morning Post, reported that a North Korean cargo ship the Kangnam 1 was inspected by the Hong Kong seaport authority and detained at the harbor on Monday. “The vessel is now under detention at an anchorage in Hong Kong’s territorial waters,” the Post informed.

The Kangnam 1 is a 2035-ton-heavy cargo vessel, and was empty on its arrival at the harbor on Oct. 22. It was reported that the ship’s spokesperson said the cargo liner was ‘en route to Taiwan to pick up waste ore by October 24.’

American media reported in advance last Friday that the U.S. military authority verified and was chasing a North Korean vessel, suspected of loading WMD related materials, leaving a port from the country.
The ship has a history of carrying weapons from Nampo, North Korea.

South Korea’s the Joongang Daily, quoting a Hong Kong official, reported on Tuesday that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill visited Hong Kong last weekend to give intelligence about the Kangnam 1, and demanded tight inspection if the cargo vessel entered into the Hong Kong harbor.

Hill reportedly asked for proper measures inside Hong Kong’s territorial waters since there was no clear evidence of the ship carrying weapons or nuclear materials and therefore, it was unable to stop the vessel in the high sea.

According to the source, Hill’s visit to Hong Kong last weekend was entirely for the inspection request.

The Kangnam 1 left Shanghai on August 20, stopped off in Indonesia and then stayed in Shanghai, until it left the city on October 14 to head toward Hong Kong. Therefore, it is not clear yet whether the ship is the one being suspected by the U.S. and Japan of containing sanctioned materials.

The U.S. government called a frigate, armed with guided missiles, USS Gary into Hong Kong, to prepare for a possible armed encounter.

Not only the Kangnam 1 but also 24 other ships were detained in this series of inspections by the Port Authority of Hong Kong for minor violation of Port State Control. Port State Control regulates foreign ships entering to the Hong Kong harbor according to the international safety standard.

Hong Kong’s chief of the Port Authority confirmed detention of the North Korean vessel and said the Kangnam 1 was the “ninth North Korean ship checked and the sixth one detained in Hong Kong.”

Since Hong Kong is a special administrative territory of the People’s Republic of China, the inspection suggests likelihood of further active participation of Beijing in sanctions against North Korea.