Report: North Korean coal port showing activity amid sanctions By (0) North Korea’s coal mines may have been flooded in 2020, causing a suspension in shipping activity, according to a recent press report. File Photo by KCNA/EPA March 9 (UPI) -- A North Korean port that serves as a hub for the regime's coal exports is showing signs of activity for the first time since August, according to a recent press report. North Korea is banned from exporting coal. The United Nations Security Council in August 2017 passed Resolution 2371, which prohibited all North Korean exports of coal, iron, lead and seafood. Advertisement