U.S. Steps Up Enforcement of Sanctions Against North Korea

The UK Club have received the following update from Freehill Hogan & Mahar LLP, regarding U.S. issued sanctions against North Korea.

In our client alert of September 25, 2017, we highlighted new U.S. and UN sanctions against North Korea. Notably, the U.S. sanctions imposed a "180 day rule" on any vessel which has called at a North Korean port or has engaged in a ship-to-ship transfer with a vessel that has called at a North Korean port. Such vessels are barred from U.S. ports for 180 days.

The U.S. sanctions, contained in Executive Order 13810, also provided for the blocking of the property in the U.S. of any person determined to have engaged in at least one significant importation from or exportation to North Korea of any goods, services or technology.

In our last client alert we warned that shipowners need to exercise great caution in any dealings with North Korea to insure that they are not violating either the UN Security Council Regulations or the U.S. sanctions. Recent actions by the U.S. and the UN indicate that they intend to enforce their sanctions aggressively.