Report: British insurance group warns violators of North Korea sanctions

May 5 (UPI) -- A British ship and cargo insurance group said coverage is to be canceled for ships found to have violated North Korea sanctions, according to a recent press report.

Voice of America's Korean service reported Monday Nigel Carden, deputy chairman of Thomas Miller, manager of the UK P&I, or Protection and Indemnity insurance club, said the group is updating the details of the implementation of sanctions against North Korea.

In past reports, the United Nations Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee revealed Pyongyang has time and again circumvented embargoes on coal and sand exports, as well as oil imports.

North Korea is banned from trading sand extracted from its territory, according to a 2017 U.N. Security Council resolution.

On Monday, UK P&I said greater attention would be paid to violators of North Korean sanctions and through cooperation with U.N. member states.

The British association also said ships found to have engaged in North Korea-related illegal activities will be subject to sanctions by the United Nations or the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Suspected vessels are to be searched and detained at port if they become subject to investigation, UK P&I said.

North Korea remains under heavy sanctions amid the coronavirus pandemic. Russia and China have called for the easing of sanctions, while claiming international law is being enforced within their borders.

Sanctions exemptions are being applied to humanitarian aid, however.

South Korean news agency Yonhap reported Tuesday South Korean NGO Green Tree International was approved by the U.N.'s North Korea sanctions committee for a six-month project in North Korea.

The program will be carried out at North Korea's Korea Rehabilitation Center for Children and Disabilities, according to the report.

Last month, the U.N. sanctions committee issued a 267-page report, showing evidence Pyongyang is earning more than $20 million annually through the deployment of IT and construction workers overseas.