On November 7, NK News, a U.S. media outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, reported that access to a website regularly tracking the identities of companies and ships involved in illegal transactions with North Korea has been suspended.
According to NK News, the site known as Pyongyang Papers (PyongyangPapers.com), which investigated North Korea’s sanctions evasion network, became inaccessible between August and October 2025. During the same period, its X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts were also deleted.
The site’s final article, published in March, claimed that North Korea’s General Bureau of Trade planned to procure up to 200,000 tons of Russian diesel through a Russian company called Evromarket LLC.
NK News reported that this closure abruptly terminated a resource closely linked to sanctions evasion investigations conducted by the United Nations (UN) expert panels, national intelligence agencies, corporate compliance teams, and maritime risk investigators. The news outlet attempted to contact the website’s administrator via email but received no response.
Pyongyang Papers first appeared in February 2018, describing itself as a small, informal organization operated with the help of friends and family, aimed at exposing North Korea’s illegal financial activities.
While Pyongyang Papers primarily cited corporate registries, maritime tracking databases, and UN reports, many entries raised questions about their sources. These often included specific names, business registration details, and information about intermediary organizations linked to previously unknown illegal transactions.
NK News noted that experts studying North Korean sanctions frequently referenced the exclusive and accurate information published on this site. Some speculated that Pyongyang Papers may have received information from specific governments or intelligence agencies.
