March 23 (UPI) -- China's decision to suspend all coal exports from North Korea was motivated in part by Beijing's willingness to carry over the excess of North Korea coal exported to China in December, according to a South Korean foreign ministry official.
The official, who spoke to local news service Newsis on the condition of anonymity, said a Chinese decision announced Feb. 18 to suspend all North Korean coal imports included an accounting of "excess" North Korean coal that was delivered to China in late 2016, according to the report.