China buys record North Korean coal as sanctions ignored

From the Daily Mail:

LAUNCESTON, Australia, Sept 26 (Reuters) - It appears that China is interpreting the "people's well-being" as meaning North Korea should be able to export record amounts of coal in defiance of sanctions against the rogue nuclear-armed state. 

China imported 2.465 million tonnes of coal from North Korea in August, the highest on record, and 61 percent above what was bought in April, the month sanctions were supposed to take effect. 

Tougher measures were imposed by the United Nations in March aimed at starving North Korea of funds for its nuclear and ballistic missile programme. China said at the time it would ban imports of gold and rare earths, as well as coal. 

While coal imports from North Korea did slip in April to 1.527 million tonnes from March's 2.345 million, they have been steadily trending higher since then to reach August's record. 

Some exemptions were to be allowed for imports from North Korea for the what was translated as "the people's well-being," or "livelihood purposes."

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