FCO statement on restricting DPRK’s illicit shipping practices

19 Nov 2018 12:22 PM

FCO and US State Department meet leading figures from maritime insurance industry to discuss further action on restricting the DPRK’s illicit shipping practices.

An FCO Spokesperson recently said:

The FCO and US State Department have today (16 November) met leading figures from the maritime insurance industry to discuss additional proactive and practical steps that the industry can take to further restrict the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) illicit shipping practices. The DPRK uses these practices to evade sanctions in order to develop their UN-prohibited nuclear and missile programmes. These programmes pose a real threat to regional and international peace and security.

The US assesses that imports of refined petroleum into the DPRK, through illicit transfers, have substantially breached the UN-mandated cap. Through engagement with the maritime industry in today’s workshop, and going forward, we call on insurance providers and related industries to ensure they are taking all steps possible to cease any activities that may contribute to the DPRK’s ability to import refined petroleum, and export coal and other sanctioned items, in breach of the UN sanctions.

The UK remains firmly committed to the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the DPRK. International pressure, and specifically a robust set of UN sanctions measures, has played a key role in bringing the DPRK to the negotiating table. Until the DPRK takes meaningful steps towards denuclearisation sanctions must continue to be strictly enforced.

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