( CNN ) North Korea accused Mexico of illegally holding one of its cargo ships Wednesday and demanded the release of the vessel and crew . The ship , the Mu Du Bong , was detained after it ran aground off the coast of Mexico in July . Mexico defended the move Wednesday , saying it followed proper protocol because the company that owns the ship , North Korea 's Ocean Maritime Management company , has skirted United Nations sanctions . `` Because the company has avoided the sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council , the Mexican government is acting on the basis of its international obligations as a responsible U.N. member state , '' the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations said . The Security Council blacklisted Ocean Maritime Management in July , saying it `` played a key role in arranging the shipment of concealed arms and related materiel '' on another ship , the Chong Chon Gang , which was detained by Panama in 2013 . But An Myong Hun , North Korea 's deputy ambassador to the United Nations , said there was no reason to hold the Mu Du Bong and accused Mexico of violating the crew members ' human rights by keeping them from their families . `` Mu Du Bong is a peaceful , merchant ship and it has not shipped any items prohibited by international laws or regulations , '' An told reporters at the United Nations headquarters Wednesday . `` And we have already paid full compensation to Mexican authorities according to its domestic laws . '' According to Mexico 's U.N. mission , the 33 North Korean nationals who make up the vessel 's crew are free , staying at a hotel in the port city of Tuxpan and regularly visiting the ship to check on it . They will soon be sent back to North Korea with help from the country 's embassy , Mexican authorities said . In the case of the Chong Chon Gang , Panamanian authorities found it was carrying undeclared weaponry from Cuba -- including MiG fighter jets , anti-aircraft systems and explosives -- buried under thousands of bags of sugar . Panama seized the cargo and held onto the ship and its crew for months . North Korea eventually agreed to pay a fine of $ 666,666 for the vessel 's release . CNN 's Jethro Mullen contributed to this report .
The Mu Du Bong was detained after it ran aground off Mexico 's coast in July . North Korea says there 's no reason to hold the ship and accuses Mexico of human rights violations . Mexico says it followed proper protocol because the ship 's owner skirted CNN sanctions .