North Korea accused Mexico on Wednesday of illegally detaining one of its ships with some 50 crew and warned it would take "necessary measures" to release the vessel, which United Nations sanctions monitors say belongs to a blacklisted shipping firm.
The 6,700-ton freighter Mu Du Bong, which had come from Cuba, ran aground on a reef in July, 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Tuxpan in Mexico's Veracruz state. Satellite shipping data show the ship is still in the port of Tuxpan.
North Korean Deputy U.N. Ambassador An Myong Hun told a small news conference on Wednesday that the Mu Du Bong was not linked to the blacklisted firm, Ocean Maritime Management Company, and therefore not subject to U.N. sanctions.