This undated photo, provided by the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, shows embassy spokesperson Wang Wei (L) shaking hands with Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming.
SEOUL, Dec. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – Chinese authorities recently examined a South Korean-flagged tanker over suspicion that it was smuggling refined oil to China, its embassy in Seoul said Saturday.
The embassy’s explanation came after a local newspaper reported that Chinese authorities inspected the oil and chemical tanker for an unknown reason, sparking speculation that it was involved in an illicit ship-to-ship transfer of oil to North Korea banned under the U.N. Security Council’s sanctions regime.
Seoul’s foreign ministry confirmed the probe took place but denied it had anything to do with the sanctions against Pyongyang.
The Chinese Embassy in Seoul also confirmed Saturday that it was unrelated to the North’s sanctions.
“The corresponding oil and chemical tanker was suspected of illegally exporting refined oil to China in the southeastern waters off the island of Shangchuan in Jiangmen, in Guangdong Province,” embassy spokesperson Wang Wei said in response to a Yonhap query.
“The vessel had not raised a flag at the time, and our Coast Guard carried out the inspection because it was detected as a Chinese ship according to the automatic identification system,” he said.
Wang added that the Korean Coast Guard handed over the jurisdiction for the inspection and other due procedures to the Chinese side after submitting documents proving that it was a South Korean vessel.
The Chinese authorities stopped the 9,000-ton vessel with some 20 people, including four South Koreans on board. The vessel, which was released last weekend, is currently en route to South Korea.
Upon arrival, the Seoul government is expected to further check why the vessel came under Chinese legal scrutiny.
(Yonhap)
