The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has lifted sanctions on five ships that were blacklisted in March for their links to North Korea’s arms trade.
Dawnlight (9110236), Ever Bright 88 (8914934), Gold Star 3 (8405402), Orion Star (9333589) and South Hill 5 (9138680), were five of 31 vessels sanctioned by the 15-member council on March 2 because they were linked to Ocean Maritime Management (OMM), a North Korean shipping firm known to transport arms and other illicit goods for the secretive state.
The Security Council sanctions committee for North Korea said at the weekend that the five vessels “are not economic resources controlled or operated by Ocean Maritime Management Company, Limited and therefore not subject to the asset freeze.”
Wide-ranging sanctions were adopted in March following North Korea’s fourth nuclear test in January. The Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea last month in response to Pyongyang’s fifth and largest nuclear test in September.