North Korea allegedly making millions by selling its sand illegally

New Delhi, India

North Korea is allegedly making millions selling sand illegally. According to media reports, the country, which is continuously under the international radar for flouting sanctions, and for overzealously conducting nuclear tests, which makes especially its neighbour South Korea anxious.

Earlier, Pyongyang was accused of illegally selling coal and other goods, seldom in huge quantities. To evade the radar of custom authorities and the UN sanctions therein, the country allegedly moves the goods from one ship to another in the ocean, CNN reported.

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Reports suggest that 279 ships are currently circling around North Korean seas, in what seems to be a massive operation worth millions of dollars.

Instead of using ships to transport illegal weapons, drugs, money, and animals, or coal, the country is now transporting sand. The country is infamous for dealing the other mentioned items, especially coal, which brings great profits to the country.

A North Korea soldier stands guard as people unload a boat on the Yalu River which separates the North Korean town of Sinuiju from the Chinese border town of Dandong on the second anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong-Il, December 17, 2013 | AFP

As part of the United Nations sanctions from December 2017, the country cannot export earth and stone. So by selling its sand, the country is violating international law.

UN investigators had found that the country earned $22 million in 2019 via a “sand-export operation”. The report was released in April.

The Panel of Experts, or the investigating country, supplied details to the UN. According to its report, North Korea sent one million tonnes of sand to foreign territories between May-December 2019.

The coordinator of North Korean sanctions said the report pointed to a “large scale” and significant illegal activity in the region.

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These transfers of sand that do not happen on land may be helping North Korea ends its cash deficit.

Sand might seem like an ordinary thing to sell, but it is the main component of concrete, glass, and even the processors that power electronic devices.

The world consumes 50 billion tonnes of sand every year, which accounts for more usage than any other resource, only behind water.

However, illegal dredging of sand can have serious environmental implications.

In 2008, N Korea was selling sand extensively to South Korea, almost worth $73.35 million, but this exchange stopped shortly after.

China remains North Korea’s biggest sand buyer, as it consumes more sand than any other country.