Паром "Ман Гён Бон-92": История, обвинения и санкции

1992–2013 North Korean ferry

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The first Man Gyong Bong ship had its maiden voyage in September 1971, amidst Japan’s easing restrictions on visits to North Korea by Zainichi Koreans. It was used to transport people between North Korea and Japan until it was replaced by the Man Gyong Bong 92 in 1992. The Man Gyong Bong 92 was constructed using a donation of 4 billion yen (approximately US $32 million) from the Japanese based Chongryon (General Association of Korean Residents in Japan). The organisation gave the money to North Korea as a gift for Kim Il sung’s 80th birthday in 1992.

In September 2002, the North Korean government admitted to abducting several Japanese citizens throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. This admission caused people to believe the first Man Gyong Bong, operating since 1971, was used to transport these abductees to North Korea. This assumption sparked further suspicion surrounding the ferry’s successor, the Man Gyong Bong 92, that was still in operation. The main allegation against the Man Gyong Bong 92 was that it allowed the smuggling of illegal items to and from Japan. Specifically, it was believed that drugs and weapons were being smuggled into Japan, and cash, missile parts, and other potentially dangerous technology were secretly being taken to North Korea.

On July 5, 2006, North Korea launched seven missiles, one of which was a long range Taepodong 2 missile capable of reaching Alaska. While all missiles landed in the Sea of Japan, Japan responded by banning the Man Gyong Bong 92 from Japanese waters for six months. In early October 2006, this ban became permanent and was imposed on all North Korean vessels, following North Korea’s nuclear tests. The tourists would meet in Yanji, China and drive three hours to Rason, North Korea. The Man Gyong Bong 92 would take them to Mount Kumgang, a scenic tourist destination complete with beaches and a golf resort. This area was jointly operated by North and South Korea until the fatal shooting of a South Korean tourist by a North Korean soldier in 2008, upon which all South Korean property was seized by the North. The trial run of the cruise took place in late August 2011. Many of the approximately 200 passengers were travel agents, media, and North Korean officials, with some paying about US $470 for the 5 day trip on both land and sea. Satellite images subsequently placed the Man Gyong Bong 92 in Wonsan Harbor. In September 2014, North Korea was expected to send a report to Japan that addressed the fate of the 1970s 1980s abductees. In August, though, the country made further requests for Japan to ease sanctions and provide further humanitarian aid in return for the report. These requests were suspected to be aimed at the allowance of the Man Gyong Bong 92 into Japanese waters. In March 2015, Japan continued to apply sanctions against North Korea when no further reports were made regarding the abductees, leaving the Man Gyong Bong 92 anchored in Wonsan. In 2017, the ferry performed a trial run between Rason and Vladivostok, Russia.

In February 2018, the ship docked at Mukho, South Korea, carrying a 140 person orchestra for the 2018 Winter Olympics. The ship also carried an art troupe and was the first North Korean ship to arrive in South Korea since 2002. This ship carried, among other people, a 150 person North Korean delegation for the 2018 Winter Olympics to the port of Mukho, under a special exemption from a 16 year ban on North Korean vessels. It was subsequently greeted by protesters opposing North Korea and Kim Jong un, and protesters singing "Aegukga", the National Anthem of South Korea.