North Korea’s attempts to smuggle luxury goods expose UN sanctions regime that may be open to abuse

Japanese police reportedly raided a used-car showroom in Chiba on suspicion it had attempted to transfer a US$68,000 Lexus vehicle to North Korea

Observers say it’s ‘relatively easy’ to smuggle items to North Korea via third countries with lax border controls, despite the UN sanctions in place

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “is known to be a big fan of expensive cars”, observers say. Photo: AP

Published: 5:00pm, 12 Dec 2023Updated: 5:07pm, 12 Dec 2023

North Korea’s alleged smuggling of luxury goods in defiance of UN sanctions has come under the spotlight, as Japanese authorities intercepted a Lexus sedan suspected to be bound for Pyongyang on the same day the North recalled its ambassador to Switzerland amid an investigation into ivory trafficking.

The uncovering of the attempted smuggling cases is likely to antagonise the regime in Pyongyang, experts suggest, although they say the United Nations sanctions regime imposed on North Korea is porous and open to abuse. And for every high-end car or shipment of ivory that is detected, according to them, many more are getting through the cordon.

On December 7, Japanese police raided a number of properties in Chiba prefecture on suspicion that the owner of a used-car showroom had attempted to transfer a Lexus to North Korea. The Asahi newspaper reported that the firm had submitted paperwork stating that the 10 million yen (US$68,300) vehicle was being sent to Singapore via Bangladesh.

North Korean security personnel run by a car carrying leader Kim Jong-un at the border village of Panmunjom in April 2018. Photo: Korea Summit Press Pool via AP

Japanese authorities have questioned the owners of the company on suspicion of violating customs regulations and say they are inquiring about previous transfers.

Under UN resolutions, exports of luxury cars and other high-end items to North Korea are banned. The resolutions first began to be enacted in 2006 after Pyongyang carried out underground nuclear tests.

Pyongyang is also reportedly recalling its ambassador to Switzerland, Han Tae-song, while experts on the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee worked with Swiss officials to examine allegations Han was involved in smuggling poached ivory in Africa.

Han, who has served as both North Korea’s ambassador to Switzerland since 2017 and its representative to the UN in Geneva, was also expelled from Zimbabwe in 1992 after being accused of trafficking in rhino horn.