Huang Chung-wei, son of a former Taiwanese legislator, received a 28-month prison sentence in Kaohsiung. Five others also received prison terms. The court found them guilty of loading fuel in Taiwan and transferring it at sea. They acted with Singaporean businessman Kwek Kee Seng, wanted by the US and still at large. The court ruled that their actions violated Taiwan’s Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and other laws.
North Korea Relies on Illegal Fuel Shipments
Strict United Nations sanctions restrict North Korea from purchasing fuel openly because of its nuclear and missile programs. As a result, the country relies on illegal ship-to-ship transfers. Taiwan, although not a UN member due to China’s opposition, pledged to follow UN rulings on Pyongyang. Investigators said North Korea uses a “shadow fleet” of ships that sail without electronic identification systems.
International Investigation Exposed the Operation
The case began in 2019 when Huang and Kwek allegedly bought tankers, loaded them with fuel, and organized transfers. US intelligence tracked the secret shipments using satellites and passed the evidence to Kaohsiung authorities. The court did not reveal how much Huang profited or whether he plans to appeal. Huang’s father previously served as a legislator for Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party.
