Huang Chung-wei, son of a former Taiwanese legislator, received 28 months in prison in Kaohsiung. Five accomplices also faced jail. The court convicted them of loading fuel onto ships and transferring it to North Korea with Singaporean businessman Kwek Kee Seng. The court said their actions violated Taiwan’s Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and other laws.
North Korea Evades Sanctions Through Ship Transfers
United Nations sanctions block North Korea from buying fuel due to its nuclear and missile programs. The country relies on illegal ship-to-ship transfers to obtain fuel. Taiwan, though not a UN member because of China, pledged to follow UN rulings on North Korea. North Korea operates a “shadow fleet” of ships that sail without electronic identification systems.
Operation Traced by International Intelligence
Investigators said Huang and Kwek bought tankers in 2019, loaded them with fuel, and sent them for illegal transfers. US intelligence tracked the shipments via satellite and shared the information with Kaohsiung authorities. The court did not disclose how much Huang earned or whether he will appeal. Huang’s father previously served in Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party.
