A Taiwanese court sentenced Huang Chung-wei, son of a former legislator, to 28 months in prison. The court ruled he illegally supplied thousands of tons of fuel oil to North Korea. Five others also received prison terms for their roles in the scheme. They loaded fuel onto ships in Taiwan and transferred it with Singaporean businessman Kwek Kee Seng, who remains wanted by the US. The Kaohsiung district court declared the activities violated Taiwan’s Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and other laws.
North Korea Relies on Shadow Operations
North Korea depends on illegal ship-to-ship transfers to obtain fuel under strict UN sanctions. The sanctions target Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs, cutting off international supplies. Though Taiwan is not a UN member due to China’s objections, it follows UN rulings on North Korea. Investigators said the case dated back to 2019, when Huang and Kwek purchased tankers and used them to transport oil. North Korea operates a “shadow fleet” of vessels that avoid detection by switching off electronic identification systems.
US Intelligence Helped Expose Scheme
US intelligence agencies tracked the transfers through satellite monitoring and passed evidence to Kaohsiung authorities. The court said the cooperation proved vital in exposing the smuggling operation. Huang’s father once served in Taiwan’s legislature for the Democratic Progressive Party. Investigators did not confirm how much money Huang earned from the scheme. It also remains unclear whether he will appeal his conviction.
