Taiwan bans all trade with North Korea under UN sanctions
Taiwan has banned all trade activities with North Korea to comply with a UN resolution after Pyongyang’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test earlier this month.
The Executive Yuan, or cabinet, said on its website that the comprehensive ban on trade would come into force with immediate effect.
While Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, cabinet spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung said that as a member of the international community, Taiwan would comply with the UN sanctions.
Taiwan has curbed trade activities in the past in compliance with UN sanctions. It has banned imports from North Korea of coal, copper ore and textiles among others. The island has also limited supplies of products such as oil and refined petroleum products.
Trade between Taiwan and North Korea is minuscule.
Out of 235 major countries and regions, North Korea is Taiwan’s 174th largest trading partner.
Taiwan imported US$1.2 million in goods from North Korea from January to July this year and exported US$36,575 in goods to the isolated nation during the same period.
The 15-member UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on September 11 toughening sanctions against Pyongyang following its universally condemned nuclear test earlier this month.
