US wants UN sanctions on seven vessels over North Korea exports

The United States will in the coming days ask a UN Security Council committee to impose sanctions on seven ships suspected of violating UN sanctions on North Korea, a State Department official said on Monday.

The seven vessels have illegally exported North Korean coal and iron ore to China, which traditionally earns Pyongyang between $200 million and $400 million a year, said the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.