South Korea seizes North's paintings due to sanctions

SEOUL, Jan 16 (AP): South Korean officials said on Wednesday they have stopped businessmen from bringing North Korean paintings into the country that a report said were purchased at an art studio under UN sanctions.

Observers say similar incidents could occur frequently as South Korea's liberal government pushes for deeper exchanges with North Korea.

The Korea Customs Service said it has nine North Korean paintings that an unidentified number of businessmen tried to bring into the country after a trip to Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, last November.

It said the businessmen did not have the required South Korean government permission to bring in North Korean products.

South Korea's largest newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, reported Wednesday that the paintings were purchased from Pyongyang's Mansudae art studio, which is on a U.N. sanctions blacklist.

The studio is subject to an asset freeze and travel ban because of its dispatch of artists and other workers abroad to do projects to generate revenue for the North Korean government.