US: Russia Receives Weapons and Supplies Large-Scale Refined Oil to Bukhan... Will Sanction

Russia to Supply 500,000 Barrels of Refined Oil to North Korea This Year... Exceeding Quota

The U.S. government stated that the volume of refined oil Russia provided to North Korea this year has exceeded the annual limit set by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions resolutions on North Korea. It indicated future sanction measures, accusing Russia of blatantly ignoring the sanctions in exchange for receiving weapons from North Korea.

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council (NSC), said at a briefing that Russia supplied more than 165,000 barrels of refined oil to North Korea in March alone.

He stated, "Russia has been transporting refined oil to North Korea from the Vostochny port," adding, "Russia's shipment volume has already exceeded the annual limit mandated by the Security Council." The Security Council limits North Korea's refined oil imports to no more than 500,000 barrels annually.

Coordinator Kirby pointed out, "Considering the proximity of Russian and North Korean ports, Russia can continue such shipments indefinitely."

He particularly viewed this transaction as related to Russia seeking to obtain weapons such as ballistic missiles from North Korea for use in the war with Ukraine. This is analyzed as a quid pro quo for North Korea’s large-scale weapon supply to Russia around the time of the North Korea-Russia summit in September last year.

Coordinator Kirby also criticized Russia’s veto against extending the mandate of the expert panel under the UN Security Council’s North Korea Sanctions Committee, which monitors the implementation of sanctions on North Korea.

He said, "Yesterday marked the first day after the expert panel, which has provided objective and comprehensive reports on the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions related to North Korea for the past 15 years, was disbanded," adding, "This was a calculated move by Russia to conceal its violations of Security Council resolutions." He claimed that Russia not only violated sanctions by supplying refined oil to North Korea but also dismantled the body that monitored and pointed out these violations.

Coordinator Kirby stated, "The United States will continue efforts to impose sanctions on both countries against all activities facilitating the transfer of weapons and refined oil between North Korea and Russia."