Press Releases
Monitoring and surveillance activities by UK against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers
April 12, 2024
Royal Navy HMS SPEY, Offshore Patrol Vessel
(Source: UK Ministry of Defence)
- From late March to mid-April, Royal Navy HMS SPEY conducted monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), in waters surrounding Japan including the East China Sea. It was the eleventh time for the UK Royal Navy to engage in such activities to take place since 2018.
- Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs in solidarity with the international community toward the realization of North Korea’s dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner.
- Japan is also conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected to be in violation of the UNSCRs and works closely with related countries including UK and related international organizations.