In 2018, two North Korean businessmen formed a construction services firm in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and engaged in activities that appear to violate sanctions adopted by the European Union (EU), the United Nations, and the United States. Despite strict international prohibitions, these individuals opened a bank account for their company, Congo Aconde, and undertook construction projects in the country. One such project involved erecting statues in a remote provincial capital, a type of construction explicitly forbidden by UN sanctions adopted in 2016. In another apparent violation of UN sanctions, Congolese government funds reportedly served to pay for the statues. Notably, Congo Aconde’s activities also gained the attention of several prominent Congolese politicians linked to former President Joseph Kabila’s political party, and some of these politicians even rubbed shoulders with the North Korean businessmen. .......

[Source: Sentry]