March 3, 2025
PHNOM PENH – The Ministry of Commerce has rejected claims by US-owned news outlet NK News that North Korean companies are engaged in business in Cambodia.
The report alleged that North Korea managed joint ventures in restaurants and other businesses in Cambodia and China.
A leading member of the China-Cambodia business community also denied the allegations, explaining that the Kingdom adheres to international resolutions, including sanctions against North Korea.
On February 27, the commerce ministry issued a statement refuting the allegations.
The statement said that on February 26, an article published by NK News inaccurately reported that a North Korean company had openly advertised that it controlled several joint venture restaurants abroad, in China and Cambodia.
“The ministry refutes these claims and affirms that no business entity operating under the name ‘Tongnam Trading Company’ or ‘Tongnam Transport JV Co., Ltd.’ is registered in Cambodia. Furthermore, an investigation conducted by the ministry at the Korean product markets in Phnom Penh found no evidence of any business activities linked to North Korean entities,” it explained.
It insisted that the ministry strictly enforced UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and Cambodia’s relevant legal frameworks by delisting and closing all businesses associated with 16 North Korean entities in 2019 and 2022.
It continues to work in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as other relevant ministries and institutions, to ensure full compliance with all sanctions prescribed in UNSC resolutions.
Lor Vichet, vice-president of the Cambodia-Chinese Commerce Association (CCCA), told The Post on February 28 that the prohibition of North Korean trade activities, including exports and imports, is due to international sanctions imposed by the UN.
These measures are not limited to Cambodia, but apply to nearly 200 countries around the world. He added that, in addition to trade activities, North Korea is also subject to sanctions regarding financial transactions and many other operations.
“The ministry’s statement is a positive one. It demonstrates to the international community that Cambodia is a law-abiding nation which upholds the resolutions of the UN,” he said.