Chong Chon Gang

This article is about a ship. For the river, see Chongchon River.
Chong Chon Gang
Career
Name: Chong Chon Gang
Namesake: Ch'ongch'on River
Owner: Chongchongang Shipping
Operator: Chongchongang Shipping
Port of registry:  North Korea
Builder: Nampo Shipyard
Launched: 1977
Identification: IMO number: 7937317
General characteristics
Type:Bulk carrier
Tonnage:9,147 GT
Length:155 m (509 ft)
Beam:20 m (66 ft)
Draft:8.9 m (29 ft)
Crew:35

Chong Chon Gang (Chosŏn'gŭl: 청천강호, Hanja: 淸川江號[1]) is a North Korean bulk carrier ship.

The 155 m (509 ft) ship was built in 1977[2] in Nampo. Its owner is listed as Chongchongang Shipping of Pyongyang.[3] Chongchongang Shipping is likely one of the front companies answering to "Office #39" (otherwise known as the Central Committee Bureau 39) of the Korean Workers' Party, which is responsible for state sanctioned illicit activities such as the smuggling of prohibited items such as weapons and luxury goods. Office #39 was created in 1974 as a department level organization within the KWP Secretariat, under the KWP Central Committee. Its primary role was, and still is, the running of illegal activities to generate hard currency for the North Korean government.[4]

History

On 11 March 2009, Chong Chon Gang was chased by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea. Pirates shot guns and an RPG from a speedboat, which damaged the ship and injured two crew members.[5][6] After the attack, the ship caught the attention of maritime officials when it made a stop at the Russian naval facility in Tartus, Syria. It's unknown why it was there.

Detentions

On 26 February 2003, Iran detained Chong Chon Gang at Bandar Imam Khomeini.[5]

In February 2010, Ukraine authorities detained the ship at Oktyabrsk. The ship was carrying heroin substitute, alcohol, cigarettes, and AK-47 ammunition.[7]

In March 2010, Egypt charged it was carrying "dangerous goods".

On July 15, 2013, Chong Chon Gang was seized by authorities in Panama at Manzanillo International Terminal on reports it was transporting illegal drugs.[8] Reportedly, when Panamanian troops approached the vessel the crew responded violently and the captain later attempted to kill himself.[9] A reported missile was found buried in a cargo of 250,000 bags of brown sugar resulting in the vessel's seizure. The vessel was reportedly on its way from Cuba to North Korea. As of 16 July, only two of the several cargo compartments had been inspected. North Korea has yet to comment, while Cuba stated that the "obsolete weapons" on the ship were going to North Korea for repair. These weapons included two anti-aircraft missile batteries, nine air defense missiles in parts, two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter planes and 15 engines for them.[8][10] All of these weapons were built by the Soviet Union in the mid 20th century.[11]

Panama expelled most of the 35-man crew to Cuba and other countries on 30 January 2014. The captain and two other officers were kept in Panama as they face charges of arms smuggling.[12] The North Korean government paid a fine of US$666,666 for the release of the vessel.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "パナマ大統領「北朝鮮の船舶からミサイル部品押収」" ["Missile parts seized from ships of North Korea" Panama President]. Joong-Ang Il-bo (in Japanese). 17 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Chong Chon Gang: North Korean-flagship with missile". Convenient Flags. 16 July 2013.
  3. ↑ "Chong Chon Gang". Maritime Connector. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  4. ↑ Kan, Paul Rexton; Bechtol, Bruce E., Jr.; Collins, Robert M. (March 2010). "Criminal Sovereignty: Understanding North Korea's Illicit International Activities" (pdf). Strategic Studies Institute. U.S. Army War College.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Dorell, Oren (18 July 2013). "North Korea ship held in Panama has a colorful past". USA Today. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  6. ↑ Marete, Gitonga (18 March 2009). "Crew member shot as pirates attack vessel". Mombasa. Sunday Nation. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  7. ↑ Вся правда :: Ким Чен Ир будет недоволен: в Украине арестовали судно КНДР [Kim Jong-il will be dissatisfied in Ukraine DPRK ship arrested]. Vsya-Pravda (in Russian). 2 February 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Castillo, Mariano; Shoichet, Catherine E.; Oppmann, Patrick (17 July 2013). "Cuba: 'Obsolete' weapons on ship were going to North Korea for repair". CNN.
  9. ↑ Johnston, Ian; Bruton, F. Brinley (16 July 2013). "North Korean ship carrying hidden 'missile equipment' detained after leaving Cuba". NBC News.
  10. ↑ "North Korean ship with 'military cargo' held by Panama". Asia. BBC News. 16 July 2013.
  11. ↑ Kriel, Lomi (21 July 2013). "Panama finds MiG fighter jets on North Korean arms ship". Yahoo! News. Reuters. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  12. ↑ Pascual, Castalia (30 January 2014). "Panama releases majority of crew on North Korean ship". CNN. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  13. ↑ North Koreans ready to pay for arms smuggling ship and crew; North Korean Foreign Ministry agrees to pay $666,666 fine, by Leo Byrne, 17 January 2014, NKNews.com accessed 17 February 2014

External links