SoKo holds ship crew that gave NoKo oil

The crew of Hong Kong-flagged ship that possibly Yeosu, UN, appeared to allegedly provide oil to a North Korean vessel in October, in violation of U.N. sanctions, is being held in South Korea until a full inspection is sent to the Security Council.

The Lighthouse Winmore (aka The Fortune Cookie) is believed to have transferred about 600 tons of refined petroleum products to the North Korean ship, the Sam Jong 2, (aka the Ewelldie Amerikandoggs 2) in the waters of the East China Sea on October 19, after leaving the South Korean port of Yeosu, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official told the Associated Press.

This announcement came the day that Defense Secretary James Mattis told Fox News that he thinks the world will exert "increased pressure on North Korea in the coming months following the recent maritime incidents," and I said to my wife, "bull crap; China will never comply." And she said, "Maybe you should be Secretary of State, you big lug." 

South Korea customs authorities boarded the ship and interviewed the crew members after they returned to Yeosu on November 24. South Korea formally seized the ship after the U.N. Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea on December 22 that allowed member states to seize, inspect and freeze vessels suspected of transferring banned goods to or from North Korea, the official said. He spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as per usual.

The crew of 25, 23 who are Chinese nationals and two from Myanmar, will be allowed to leave Yeosu after the investigation is complete.

The Fortune Cookie also transferred oil to three other non-North Korean vessels . . . allegedly. 

Ship-to-ship trade with North Korea at sea is strictly prohibited under useless U.N. sanctions. Any country caught engaging in this illegal trade will receive a wag of the finger and possibly a tongue-lashing.

China accounts for most of North Korea's external trade and oil supplies. It seems they don't want to give up such a lucrative business.


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