UN probing report of NK weapons deals with Syria, Myanmar

The North Korea sanctions committee of the U.N. Security Council is investigating reports of weapons-related deals between North Korea and Syria and Myanmar, Reuters reported Thursday.

A U.N. panel of experts monitoring compliance with sanctions on North Korea said in a confidential report that Pyongyang "continues actively to defy the measures in the (U.N. sanctions) resolutions." The report was recently submitted to the sanctions committee.

Reuters quoted the report as saying, "In April 2012, France reported to the committee that it had inspected and seized in November 2010 an illicit shipment of arms-related materiel originating from the DPRK (Democratic People`s Republic of Korea) and destined for Syria." France`s inspection of the cargo revealed that it contained brass discs and copper rods used to manufacture artillery munitions (pellets and rods for crimping cartridges and driving bands) and aluminum alloy tubes usable for making rockets.

Another case cited in the report was the discovery that North Korea in 2007 shipped propellant usable for Scud missiles and other items that could be used for manufacturing ballistic missiles in an attempt to export them to Syria via China.

The report said, "It would be consistent with reports of the DPRK`s long history of missile cooperation with these countries and with the panel`s observations."

In addition, Pyongyang is known to have imported banned luxury goods, including 12 bottles of Japanese sake, three used Mercedes Benz cars, cosmetics and hundreds of notebook computers, according to the report.

yhchoi65@donga.com