Anti-North Korean activists burn Kim Jong-un’s portrait while the North Korean ferry, Man Gyong Bong arrives at Mukho Port in Donghae, South Korea on February 6, 2018 in Donghae, South Korea.Woohae Cho/Getty Images
- North Korea has asked South Korea to supply fuel to the ship that its art troupe is using for travel and accomodation.
- Unification ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said at a press briefing that the government was still reviewing the request.
- The North Korean delegation’s travel involved Seoul temporarily exempting sanctions on North Korean ships.
- A Unification Ministry spokesman said the government would take extra precautions and consult with other countries to ensure their actions did not violate international sanctions.
North Korea asked South Korea to supply fuel to the ship that its art art troupe is using for travel and accomodation, Seoul’s unification ministry said Wednesday, according to Yonhap news agency.
The ship transported the troupe a day earlier. Earlier this month South Korea suggested using a ship to house the North’s Olympic delegation, as it had done in the past.
Unification ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said at a press briefing that the government was still reviewing the request, although it was not made immediately known just how much fuel the North requested.
The North Korean delegation’s travel involved Seoul temporarily exempting sanctions on North Korean ships.
South Korea has enforced travel sanctions on North Korean ships since 2010 in response to their suspected sinking of a South Korean warship, which North Korea denies its involvement in.
In addition, the UN Security Council adopted sanctions in December that include limit exports of certain goods, like crude oil, to the North to just 500,000 barrels per year.
The ministry originally said it would also provide food and electricity to the Northern ship when it docks at the South Korean eastern port of Mukho, Yonhap reported.
The ministry later corrected its statement, saying the North did not ask for several services and nothing specific has been offered.
According to Yonhap, South Korea will also reportedly ensure that no US food ingredients are used in meals for North Koreans in order to prevent a possible violation of US sanctions, which completely ban American goods and services to North Korea.
“The government will make efforts to make sure any provisions are not a possible violation of international sanctions through close consultation with the US and other countries,” the ministry spokesman said.
Some have suggested that South needed to ease its sanctions temporarily in order to facilitate the North’s Olympic delegation and encourage inter-Korean cooperation.
However, many still agree the Olympics should not undermine international efforts to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions.
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