Ex-lawmaker's son sentenced for selling fuel to North Korea

Kaohsiung, Aug. 19 (CNA) The son of a former Democratic Progressive Party legislator has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for selling thousands of tons of fuel to North Korea in collaboration with a Singaporean businessman wanted by the United States.

According to the Kaohsiung District Court on Tuesday, Huang Chung-wei (黃崇瑋), son of former lawmaker Huang Jen-shu (黃仁杼), and five others were convicted of violating the Counter-Terrorism Financing Act and related offenses.

They received prison terms ranging from seven to 28 months, the court said. The verdict can be appealed.

The court found that Huang, motivated by personal gain, twice supplied fuel in 2019 to North Korean vessels blacklisted under United Nations sanctions in a partnership with Kwek Kee Seng, a Singaporean businessman on a U.S. wanted list.

Huang and Kwek allegedly purchased oil tankers, loaded them with thousands of tons of fuel in Taiwan, and transferred the fuel to North Korean companies at sea.

U.S. intelligence later tracked the shipments via satellite and provided the evidence to Kaohsiung prosecutors, leading to the indictments.