US seizes North Korean cargo ship

THE US revealed last night that it has seized a sanction-busting North Korean cargo ship in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries.

The department of justice said that it had taken custody of the 17,061-ton Wise Honest, said to have been illicitly shipping coal from the pariah state to fund its nuclear programme.

It is the first time the US has seized a North Korean cargo vessel over sanctions violations and there are fears it could derail denuclearisation talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

The Wise Honest, the second largest cargo ship in North Korea, was held under a civil forfeiture action. North Korea was able to export ‘enormous quantities’ of coal by concealing the origin of the ship. Tactics included flying multiple flags and switching off the vessel’s identification system in breach of maritime law. The ship is also thought to have imported heavy machinery into North Korea.

Pyongyang has carried out two missile tests this week.