Despite Sanctions, North Korea Exported Coal to South and Japan via Russia, Say Intelligence Sources

A photo taken on Nov. 21, 2017 shows a Russian worker walking before cranes at the RasonConTrans coal port at Rajin harbour in the Rason Special Economic Zone. Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images

PARIS/LONDON/MOSCOW—North Korea shipped coal to Russia last year which was then delivered to South Korea and Japan in a likely violation of U.N. sanctions, three Western European intelligence sources said.

The U.N. Security Council banned North Korean exports of coal last Aug. 5 under sanctions intended to cut off an important source of the foreign currency Pyongyang needs to fund its nuclear weapon and long-range missile programs.