Following Seoul's announcement that South Korean companies have illegally imported North Korean coal, U.S. experts are worried about North Korean trade that contravenes international sanctions.

The Korea Customs Service (KCS) announced earlier this month that three South Korean companies illegally imported North Korean coal that was transshipped at Russian ports, in violation of United Nations resolutions.

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution on August 5, 2017, banning North Korea from exporting coal, iron, lead and other materials. Another resolution later that year, on December 22, called for U.N. members to seize and inspect vessels suspected of transporting prohibited items.

According to the KCS, in seven shipments between April and October of last year, three South Korean companies imported a total of 35,038 tons of North Korean coal and pig iron with a combined worth of $5.81 million.

The South Korean government is now seeking the prosecution of the three companies for the illicit import of the materials and forging customs documents to state the coal and pig iron were of Russian origin.

Sanctions experts said South Korea’s illegal import of banned North Korean coal is a major violation of U.N. sanctions and that the U.N. panel of experts on North Korea may want to try to further investigate the ships that transported the coal to South Korea.

首尔宣布有韩国公司非法从朝鲜进口煤之后，美国专家对朝鲜绕过国际制裁进行贸易感到担心。

韩国海关8月早些时候宣布，3家韩国公司非法购买了在俄罗斯港口中转的朝鲜煤，违反了联合国的制裁决议。

联合国安理会2017年8月5日通过决议，禁止朝鲜出口煤、铁、铅等物品。随后，当年12月22日通过决议，要求联合国成员国截获和检查怀疑运载违禁物品的船只。

韩国海关说，去年4月到10月，3家韩国公司总共购买7批朝鲜的煤和生铁，总量3万5千38吨，总值581亿美元。

韩国政府准备起诉这3家非法进口朝鲜货物的公司。这些公司伪造了海关文件，称这些煤和生铁来自俄罗斯。

制裁专家说，韩国公司非法进口朝鲜货物，严重违反了联合国的制裁决议，联合国的朝鲜问题专家组可能会进一步调查那些把朝鲜货物运到韩国的船只。

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