North Korea Warns Will Act to Get Back Ship Held by Mexico

North Korea accused Mexico on Wednesday of illegally detaining one of its ships with some 50 crew and warned it would take “necessary measures” to release the vessel, which United Nations sanctions monitors say belongs to a blacklisted shipping firm.

The 6,700-tonne freighter Mu Du Bong, which had come from Cuba, ran aground in July on a reef 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Tuxpan in Mexico’s Veracruz state. Mexico said the ship remains in the port of Tuxpan.

North Korea’s Deputy UN Ambassador An Myong Hun told a small news conference on Wednesday that the Mu Du Bong was not linked to the blacklisted firm, Ocean Maritime Management Company, and therefore not subject to U.N. sanctions.

He said North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), had paid an undisclosed sum to Mexico for damages to the reef where the ship had run aground and now the ship and its crew should be released.

“This ship is totally a peaceful and legitimate commercial ship which sails under the direction of the Ministry of Land and Sea Transportation,” An said. “The detention of Mu Du Bong is a rampant violation of the dignified sovereignty of the DPRK.” (Read more from “North Korea Warns Will Act to Get Back Ship Held by Mexico” HERE)

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