A Taiwanese court sentenced Huang Chung-wei, son of a former legislator, to 28 months in prison for smuggling fuel to North Korea. Five accomplices also received prison sentences. The Kaohsiung district court convicted them for loading fuel onto Taiwanese ships and transferring it at sea. They collaborated with Singaporean businessman Kwek Kee Seng, who remains wanted by the US and whose location is unknown.
Scheme Targeted by International Sanctions
The court ruled that the activity violated Taiwan’s Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and related laws. North Korea relies on illegal ship-to-ship fuel transfers due to strict United Nations sanctions restricting its nuclear and missile programs. Although Taiwan is not a UN member, it pledged to comply with UN rulings on Pyongyang. The case began in 2019, when Huang and Kwek allegedly purchased tankers, loaded them with fuel, and sent them for illicit transfers.
US Intelligence Helped Expose Operation
North Korea operates a “shadow fleet” of ships that sail without active electronic tracking systems. US intelligence agencies tracked the smuggling by satellite and shared the information with investigators in Kaohsiung, according to the court. Huang’s father previously served in Taiwan’s legislature for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Authorities have not confirmed how much money Huang earned through the scheme or whether he plans to appeal the sentence.
