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By Park Ji-won
Russia supplied 2,000 more tons of refined oil to North Korea than China this year, U.N. data showed Wednesday.
It has provided 12,324 tons of refined oil to the North so far, while China has supplied 10,109 tons, according to the website of the U.N. Security Council's sanctions committee
Russia's refined oil supply to North Korea for August was 1,369 tons.
According to the U.N. resolution 2397, the total supply, sale or transfer of all refined petroleum products by U.N. member states to the North should not exceed 500,000 barrels or about 60,000 tons, during a period of 12 months beginning this year, and for 12-month periods thereafter.
Several countries including the U.S. and South Korea have pointed out that Pyongyang possibly received (refined) oil from ships registered in a third country. Such shipments aren't reported.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley accused Russia last month of violating sanction against North Korea by delivering the fuel through ship-to-ship transfers at sea.
Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia refuted the allegation.
Haley said, "the United States tracked at least 148 instances of oil tankers delivering refined petroleum products obtained through illegal ship-to-ship transfers. We estimate that at the least, North Korea has obtained over 800,000 barrels of refined petroleum products in the first eight months of this year. That's 160 percent of the 2018 annual cap of 500,000."
