ON
← Back to feed
How the North Korean "Dark Fleet" is Operating
Slovenia🏛️ PoliticsCenter7 hr. ago

How the North Korean "Dark Fleet" is Operating

The article discusses how North Korea evades international sanctions by using a 'dark fleet' of ships that disguise their identities and activities. It focuses on the case of the Singapore-based tanker 'New Konk,' which was flagged by U.S. authorities in 2021 for allegedly transporting oil to North Korea. In April 2023, the ship disappeared from the Automatic Identification System (AIS), a tracking system used by larger vessels, but later reappeared in a location where no ship was present. Satellite images confirmed the deception, revealing that the vessel had been elsewhere. This incident is part of a pattern, as the 'New Konk' had previously been photographed transferring oil at sea in 2019 and had falsely claimed to be another ship in 2020. The article highlights that these ships operate under false flags and are not officially linked to North Korea, making them difficult to track. Researchers from the University of Sydney and the National University of Singapore have studied these methods and developed new ways to detect such covert operations.

Advertisement

Go to the primary sources (2)

The official sources this coverage is built on. Read them directly to bypass framing.

1 reports

N1 Slovenija logoN1 SlovenijaIndependentCenter7 hr. ago
How the North Korean "Dark Fleet" is Operating

The article discusses how North Korea evades international sanctions by using a 'dark fleet' of ships that disguise their identities and activities. It focuses on the case of the Singapore-based tanker 'New Konk,' which was flagged by U.S. authorities in 2021 for allegedly transporting oil to North Korea. In April 2023, the ship disappeared from the Automatic Identification System (AIS), a tracking system used by larger vessels, but later reappeared in a location where no ship was present. Satellite images confirmed the deception, revealing that the vessel had been elsewhere. This incident is part of a pattern, as the 'New Konk' had previously been photographed transferring oil at sea in 2019 and had falsely claimed to be another ship in 2020. The article highlights that these ships operate under false flags and are not officially linked to North Korea, making them difficult to track. Researchers from the University of Sydney and the National University of Singapore have studied these methods and developed new ways to detect such covert operations.

Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about North Korea's evasion tactics without overtly endorsing or criticizing any political stance. While the subject involves geopolitical tensions and sanctions, the framing remains neutral, focusing on documented incidents and expert research rather than ag

How each side covered it

The same event, grouped by the political lean of the outlets covering it.

How each side covered it

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Covered around the world

The same event as reported in other countries.

Covered around the world

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Claims check

Key factual claims, and how many sources assert vs dispute each.

Claims check

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Keep the news honest.

ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.

Become a Supporter

Related stories