The head of South Korea’s customs authority says he will seriously review banning imports of Russian coal suspected of originating from North Korea. 

Korea Customs Service(KCS) Commissioner Kim Yung-moon told the National Assembly’s Strategy and Finance Committee on Friday that his agency will do its best to faithfully implement the sanctions in place on North Korea. 

The KCS plans to examine whether other countries have also banned Russian coal for such reasons and discuss the possible import ban with other related ministries.

According to the UN Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee, the North shipped its coal from Russia to a third country via South Korean ports twice, late last year.

Since the UNSC’s findings, the KCS has been investigating the two ships that carried the alleged North Korean coal to South Korea, using information handed over by the Foreign Ministry and the National Intelligence Service. 

The commissioner dismissed criticism that the investigation has been slow, saying it is being carried out normally and is in the final phase. He added that his agency it will be able to announce the result of the investigation, soon.