The ships are located, registered or flagged in North Korea, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Marshall Islands, Tanzania, Panama and Comoros. North Korea last year conducted dozens of missile launches and its sixth and largest nuclear test in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. The new US sanctions were to be announced while Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, is visiting South Korea. “President Moon also said out of all countries, South Korea has the strongest will to say it cannot acknowledge North Korea as a nuclear state,” he said. The Blue House has said there are no official opportunities for US and North Korean officials to meet.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 23, 2018 16:41 UTC