South Korea Probes Suspected North Korea Coal Imports After UN Ban

A mountain of North Korean coal, stranded by a UN ban on coal exports from North Korea, is piled up on one side of the barrier in Rajin Port, North Korea, on November 21, 2017. ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images

South Korea authorities are investigating two illegal imports of suspected North Korea coal after the U.N. banned coal exports from North Korea in August 2017.

Exports of North Korean minerals, including coal, are banned under U.N. resolution 2371, adopted in August last year. Intelligence sources alleged North Korea violated the U.N. ban in January, Reuters reported. A U.N. report, updated on June 27, confirmed that North Korea exported coal to South Korea through Russia.