According to a report by Voice of America (VOA) on June 28, several North Korean oil tankers are in motion toward Russia.
According to VOA, the North Korean oil tankers Kum Jin Gang 2 and Kum Un San were spotted moving north in the East Sea off the Korean Peninsula. After moving south from the North Korean West Sea, the North Korean oil tanker Sin Pyong 11 turned its bow towards the East Korea Strait near Shanghai. Based on previous instances, it is presumed to be navigating a route that passes through the South Sea of Jeju Island and the Korea Strait to the East Sea of the Korean Peninsula.
The fact that they are navigating the East Sea or heading towards the East Sea indicates that their destination is a port in the East Sea of North Korea or the Far East region of Russia.
However, the probability of an oil tanker departing from the North Korean West Sea to draw a large arc to the East Sea is low; thus, it seems likely that their final destination is Russia. There has been a recent surge in instances of North Korean oil tankers being found within Russian borders.
The North Korean oil tanker Chon Ma San was spotted 45 miles southwest of the Russian port of Nakhodka on June 6. In March 2018, the UN Security Council sanctioned 27 vessels for involvement in illegal ship-to-ship transfers. The Chon Ma San is subject to higher sanctions than other vessels, including asset freezing and a ban on port entry.
Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that the location signal of the North Korean oil tanker Sin Pyong 5 was also captured near Nakhodka port on June 24. Formerly known as the South Korean oil tanker Woo Jeong Ho, the Sin Pyong 5 has been suspected of actively transporting fuel for North Korea since its ownership was illegally transferred to North Korea in 2019.
VOA suggested the possibility of illegal oil trade based on the recent distribution of a ship-wanted notice for an oil tanker to transport oil from Russia to North Korea in the shipping industry.
The notice stated that a Russian company was looking for an oil tanker to ship 7,000 to 8,000 tons of oil from the Far East region of Russia, Vostochny port, to Nampo, North Korea, in early May.
The U.S. government is concerned about the oil trade between North Korea and Russia. Earlier in June, the United States National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby pointed out in a briefing, “The amount of refined oil Russia has provided to North Korea in 2024 so far has already exceeded the limit set by the UN Security Council.”
Through United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 in 2017, the UN Security Council has limited North Korea’s import of refined oil to 500,000 barrels per year.