Philippines to impound suspected N. Korean ship, deport crew

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MANILA, Philippines –  Philippine officials say they'll impound a suspected North Korean cargo ship docked northwest of Manila and eventually deport its North Korean crewmen in compliance with tough new U.N. Security Council sanctions on Pyongyang over its latest nuclear test and rocket launch.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III said Saturday that the U.N. sanctions would be applied on the MV Jin Teng, which arrived at Subic Bay on Thursday.

Foreign Assistant Secretary Gary Domingo said the Jin Teng was identified in a U.N. sanctions list as a North Korean vessel that needed to be held under an "assets freeze" order.

Coast Guard Commander Raul Belesario, however, said the Jin Teng's papers show that it's a Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship owned by a company based in the British Virgin Islands.