UN blacklists ships, companies for N. Korea smuggling

The UN Security Council slapped sanctions Friday on 21 shipping companies, 27 ships and one individual for alleged smuggling to help North Korea undermine existing sanctions, the U.S. mission to the UN said.

The illicit efforts were aimed at helping Pyongyang sell coal and buy oil after the UN moved to curtail North Korea’s sale of and access to the commodities, respectively.

“The approval of this historic sanctions package is a clear sign that the international community is united in our efforts to keep up maximum pressure on the North Korean regime," said Washington's UN envoy Nikki Haley.

"We want to thank the members of the Security Council, as well as Japan and South Korea, for working with us to keep up the pressure and for their commitment to implementing UN Security Council resolutions and holding violators accountable," she added.

The UN passed a full sectoral ban on North Korea's export of coal, which bought in more than $400 million to the North each year, and banned up to 90 percent of Pyongyang's oil imports. The moves were intended to apply pressure on the North to get the country to give up its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.