France and Canada have dispatched aircraft to U.S. bases in Japan in a bid to counter illicit maritime activities supporting Pyongyang’s weapons programs, according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The deployment comes amid reports that North Korean coal exports to China have ramped up, spurred by soaring demand in China as authorities there struggle to reign in consumption.
France and Canada have dispatched aircraft to U.S. bases in Japan in a bid to counter illicit maritime activities supporting Pyongyang’s weapons programs, according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The deployment comes amid reports that North Korean coal exports to China have ramped up, spurred by soaring demand in China as authorities there struggle to reign in consumption.
Ethan Jewell is a Seoul-based correspondent for NK News focused on sanctions, trade and maritime issues. He previously worked as an investigations and intelligence specialist for Pinkerton Comprehensive Risk Management and as a research intern for the Brookings Institution's Center for East Asia Policy Studies. Follow Ethan on Twitter @EthanJewell