South Korea Seizes Panama-Flagged Oil Tanker on Suspicion of Oil Trade with North Korea

South Korean officials seized a Panama-flagged oil tanker on Sunday on suspicion of attempting to evade sanctions against North Korea. An official from the South Korean Foreign Ministry stated that the 5,100-ton tanker named 'Koti' and its crew were detained at the 'Pyongtaek-Dangjin' port. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that the ship was seized under inspections for enforcing UN sanctions due to suspected activities related to North Korea. The official did not provide further details. An official from the regional fisheries office in the Pyongtaek area, who also requested anonymity, confirmed that a tanker scheduled to continue its journey on December 21 faced an order to refrain from leaving the port. This announcement comes days after it was reported that South Korea had seized a tanker and its crew flying the Hong Kong flag in October in international waters on suspicion of transferring petroleum products to a North Korean tanker. According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, the ship named 'White House Winmore' transferred nearly 600 tons of refined oil products in international waters in the East China Sea to a North Korean tanker. Under a sanctions resolution passed by the Security Council in September, any transfer of products between two ships involving North Korea is prohibited. In October, the UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea, limiting the country's access to oil products and crude oil. The new UN sanctions against North Korea, which will take effect on Monday, also restrict the import of petroleum products into the country. The United States has also proposed to the UN Security Council to blacklist 10 ships for transferring prohibited goods from North Korea. North Korea relies on imported fuel to keep its economy running. Pyongyang also needs fuel for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which the US claims pose a threat to peace in Asia. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated following a series of missile tests and a recent nuclear test in North Korea. The number of missile tests and the capabilities and range of these weapons have significantly increased since Kim Jong-un came to power. North Korea claims that sanctions or military exercises by the United States and its regional allies are aimed at overthrowing the ruling regime or violating the territorial integrity of the country. Washington and its allies assert that the exercises are defensive and conducted to prepare for military threats from Pyongyang. The US State Department has emphasized that it continues to seek a diplomatic solution to end North Korea's nuclear military activities.