China’s Commerce Ministry on Tuesday banned imports of North Korean gold, rare earths, exports to the country of jet fuel and other oil products used to make rocket fuel.
The ministry said this was in a move in line with new UN sanctions on Pyongyang.
The Security Council unanimously passed a resolution in early March expanding UN sanctions aimed at starving North Korea of funds for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
It happened after Pyongyang conducted a fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in February.
Report says the mining sector is a key part of North Korea’s economy, which is already largely cut off from the rest of the world.
Experts believe revenue from the sector helps underwrite North Korea’s military expenditures. (Reuters/NAN)
