North Korea ships under sanctions carrying on activities

SEOUL, May 13 (UPI) -- North Korean ships under U.N. Security Council sanctions have resumed activities after disappearing from radars for about a month.

Ships listed under North Korea's Ocean Maritime Management Company, which controls merchant shipping, have been coming and going near waters surrounding South Korea and Japan, Voice of America reported Saturday, local time.

Data from website Marine Traffic indicated various North Korea ships, including the South Hill 5, which was previously designated under OMM, and five other OMM-affiliated vessels, have been detected in waters near South Korea's western coast and Japan.

South Hill 5 and the Chol Ryong were seen in early May sailing toward the North Korean port of Nampo.

The Sebo was last seen on May 8 in the Yellow Sea, near China, heading northward, before disappearing from radars.

The Mirim-2, another North Korean ship, was seen on May 13 sailing about 80 miles from the South Korean island of Jeju. It was heading north, according to radars.

The Chong Chon Gang, seized by Panama authorities in 2013, was seen sailing between the Japanese archipelago and the Japanese island Tsushima on May 5. The waterway used by the embargoed ship is located about 30 miles from Tsushima and 50 miles from Fukuoka.

The Chong Chon Gang was apprehended in Panama for carrying what appeared to be obsolete weaponry from Cuba.

As part of sanctions, Japan has banned all North Korea ships from docking at Japanese ports. The U.N. Security Council has also banned 27 North Korean ships under OMM from docking at ports of U.N. member states.

In early April the 27 vessels under the North Korean flag were seen stranded at domestic ports.