Russia starts trading coal through North Korea
Russian coal exporters have started supplying fuel to China via North Korea.
Source: The Moscow Times
Details: The report says that Russian coal exports shipped 132,000 tonnes of coal through the North Korean port of Rajin from April to May.
Coal is delivered to the North Korean port via the Hassan-Rajin border crossing. Before this, the latest public data on coal supplies to the DPRK appeared in 2021. At the time, Russia delivered 15,000 tonnes of fuel worth US$836,700 to North Korea by rail.
It is noted that many Russian business owners in 2019 avoided using the Hassan-Rajin project because they were afraid of being sanctioned by the US.
Russian coal companies use the North Korean route to avoid restrictions on rail traffic to Far Eastern ports. This allows Russia to increase land exports to China. In January-May, about 7.6 million tonnes were delivered through border crossings, which is 2.7 million tonnes more than a year earlier.
It is reported that trade through North Korea is an additional 2-3 million tonnes per year shipped to China.
Background:
At least a dozen Russian businessmen received more than RUB 1 trillion (about US$11.3 billion) in dividends in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.
After Putin's visit to Kim, North Korea replaced a Chinese satellite for broadcasting national television with a Russian one.
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