The Philippines has impounded a North Korean vessel under tough new United Nations sanctions introduced in response to Pyongyang’s recent nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The 6,830-tonne cargo ship Jin Teng will not be allowed to leave Subic port, north-east of the capital Manila, where it had been docked for three days and its crew will be deported, presidential spokesman Manolo Quezon said on state-run radio station Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday. It was the first reported case of the sanctions – the toughest to date, which were adopted late on Wednesday by the UN security council – being enforced. “The world is concerned over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and as a member of the UN, the Philippines has to do its part to enforce the sanctions,” Quezon said. A team from the UN is expected to inspect the ship in the port, located near a former United States naval base, foreign affairs spokesman Charles Jose said. The Jin Teng was inspected for the second time on Saturday, this time using electronic weapons sensors, coastguard spokesman commander Armand Balilo said , adding the 21 crewmen were “very cooperative”. North Korea has no embassy in the Philippines. Its embassies in Thailand and Indonesia were unavailable for comment. http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...unds-north-korean-boat-under-new-un-sanctions
