South Korea has imposed independent sanctions on eleven vessels, two individuals and three entities accused of involvement in illegal ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other products to North Korea.

The foreign ministry said on Wednesday that it has sanctioned the vessels, individuals and entities engaged in illegal maritime activities that support North Korea’s nuclear and missile development programs. 

North Korea has been funding its nuclear and missile development programs and evading UN Security Council sanctions through various illegal activities such as ship-to-ship oil transfers at sea and coal smuggling.

The blacklisted vessels are suspected of involvement in transshipment with North Korean ships, smuggling refined oil and coal into the North and supplying, selling and transferring goods to and from North Korea in violation of multiple Security Council resolutions. 

Sierra Leone-flagged ships accounted for the largest number at four, followed by one each from North Korea, Mongolia, Somalia, Indonesia, Cameroon, the Cook Islands, and Tanzania.

It marks the first time in eight years since 2016 that South Korea has imposed independent sanctions on ships. Wednesday's sanctions are the 15th set of independent sanctions imposed by the Yoon Suk Yeol government.