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NEW REPORT: In “Lux & Loaded: Exposing North Korea’s Strategic Procurement Networks,” @_LucasKuo and @jasonarterburn dive deep into North Korean trade in high-end luxury goods to map North Korea’s procurement capabilities. 1/xhttps://www.c4reports.org/lux-and-loaded
High-end luxury goods share key features with dual-use goods for #NorthKorea’s WMD program: they are scarce, specialized products with high monetary value and great symbolic importance for the Kim regime. But luxury goods are easier to see on trade records and at port.pic.twitter.com/WkdMtO8Wv4
We identified shipments to North Korea of more than 800 luxury vehicles, including two armored Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard vehicles shipped in Oct 2018. We traced the vehicles from the Netherlands to China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia before suspected diversion to North Korea.pic.twitter.com/nSXnBntcIF
But we also found a bunch of other cars that could be subject to luxury goods export controls under UNSCR 2094 (2013)—even a Mitsubishi Lancer & Toyota Corolla sent on a DPRK-flagged cargo ship. Yup, someone in North Korea is driving a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer.
Is a Mitsubishi Lancer a luxury vehicle? Debatable, which is why these sanctions are difficult to enforce. Most lux goods export controls don’t use standardized codes to define controlled products, and up to 90 countries sent "luxury goods" to North Korea between 2015 and 2017.pic.twitter.com/Jyt9RtYp8I
Our findings indicate that North Korea acquires high-end luxury goods through the same smuggling networks as other contraband. As a result, detection and seizure of lux goods could be a means to drive action against the Kim regime’s core procurement operations. h/t @PalantirTechpic.twitter.com/5VDTA1J8h0
The more luxurious the good, the more complicated its procurement, and thereby the more capable its procurement agent. Those trading in the highest-end products have the means required to fulfill the Kim regime’s most strategic procurements, even through US-allied countries.pic.twitter.com/hOVBP8l7el
Law enforcement can use this information to better design sanctions that both reduce the harm done to average North Korean citizens but also erode the regime’s ability to maintain vital procurement capabilities.
We're grateful for the @nytimes Visual Investigation team (@nytvideo, @ckoettl) and @ewong for working with us to expand this investigation and bring it to life with this incredible story and video:https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1151068989772185601 …
Read and share! Pinging: @annafifield @38NorthNK @BBCLBicker @mhanham @AlastairGale @FrankAum1 @GlobalAsianista @newsjean @barbarademick @emildall @nktpnd @jchengwsj @joshjonsmith @motokorich @j3nnyt0wn @TheJihyeLee @NarangVipin @freekorea_us @SungYoonLee1 @NoonInKorea
And shout out to @MP_Visual for the amazing cover art! If you haven't already, peep our new cover photo designed by Max.pic.twitter.com/qH9oykMMyr
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