Analysis of April trade figures shows that China may have breached UN sanctions and its own newly minted laws, by allowing 500 tonnes of gold ore to pass its borders.

The figures show that while the shipments did drop sharply from the previous month, they did not fall to zero, despite the new UN resolution passed on March 2 and Chinese import laws on April 5.

“Gold imports from North Korea may have dropped notably, but they have not been cut entirely. China is obliged to cease such gold purchases, and it will therefore be important to continue