A Taiwanese court sentenced Huang Chung-wei, son of a former legislator, to 28 months in prison for supplying fuel to North Korea. The Kaohsiung district court announced the sentence on Tuesday. Five others also received prison terms for their involvement. The court ruled that they participated in loading fuel onto ships in Taiwan and transferring it at sea. They collaborated with Singaporean businessman Kwek Kee Seng, wanted by the US and currently missing. The court confirmed that the activity violated Taiwan’s Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and other related laws.
North Korea’s Dependence on Covert Fuel Operations
North Korea relies heavily on covert transfers at sea to secure fuel. United Nations sanctions restrict access because of Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and missile programmes. Although Taiwan is not a UN member due to pressure from China, it pledged to follow UN rulings on North Korea. Investigators revealed that Huang and Kwek began the operation in 2019. They purchased tankers, filled them with fuel, and carried out transfers to North Korean ships.
International Surveillance Uncovers Illegal Operations
North Korea uses a “shadow fleet” of ships that operate without electronic identification to avoid detection. Despite these efforts, US intelligence tracked the transfers with satellite technology and shared evidence with Taiwanese investigators. Huang’s father previously served in Taiwan’s legislature as part of the Democratic Progressive Party. Authorities have not confirmed how much Huang profited from the scheme or whether he plans to appeal the court’s ruling.
