The United States is calling for United Nations sanctions against vessels circumventing U.N. resolutions to combat North Korea’s illegal nuclear and missile programs.
The United Kingdom-based Open Source Centre reported in May 2025 that it tracked non-Korean-flagged vessels transporting North Korean coal and iron ore to ports in China, in violation of U.N. resolutions.
Speaking at the U.N. Security Council, James Byrne, the center’s director, identified several vessels, including the Tanzanian-flagged Armani and Sophia, the falsely flagged Cartier and Casio, and the unflagged Yi Li 1 and An Yu.
Byrne said the vessels engaged in sophisticated spoofing techniques such as presenting digital tracks to indicate they were in other countries when satellite imagery showed them loading in North Korea.
The U.N. Security Council has adopted nine major resolutions sanctioning North Korea over its nuclear and missile activities since 2006. One of the first, known as 1718, called for North Korea to abandon its nuclear program in a “complete, verifiable and irreversible” manner, end its ballistic missile activities, and return to nuclear reduction talks.
The resolution prohibited U.N. members from selling or transferring to North Korea any heavy weaponry, such as tanks, ships or missile systems; spare parts for weapons; and materials and technology for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs. It froze the financial assets of entities the Security Council determined were supporting the regime’s nuclear, missile and WMD programs. The resolution also established a committee to monitor compliance.
Subsequent resolutions expanded the arms embargo, identified additional individuals and entities for asset freezes and travel bans, strengthened enforcement, and prohibited or limited North Korean exports of copper, nickel, iron, coal, textiles and seafood.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Camille Shea said the Security Council will continue to highlight sanctions violations despite Russia’s April 2024 veto of a resolution to extend the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring violations.
She said the U.S. would seek to have the vessels identified by Byrne designated as having violated U.N. sanctions.
Shea accused Russia of “cynically obstructing” sanctions implementation, including through importation of North Korean missiles and shells for use in its war in Ukraine.
North Korea has sent an estimated 14,000 troops and shipments of artillery, missiles and other conventional weapons to Russia in exchange for cash, oil and air missile defense equipment, analysts and Ukrainian officials say.
Shea also accused Chinese authorities of “looking the other way” as Chinese companies import North Korean coal and iron ore, even while Beijing insists it fully implements the U.N. resolutions.
