NK, Suspected of Rodong Missile Export to Egypt

The Israeli newspaper Ha`aretz reported that the Israeli Defense delegation secretly visited the U.S. to discuss the suspected export of the North Korean missile Rodong to Egypt. In addition, the U.S. administration and the U.S. congress held a joint meeting on this matter with the Egyptian officials.

The Ha`aretz reported that the U.S. had `satisfactory` answers about various suspicions but the details were not released to the public. According to the newspaper, experts analyze that Egypt might have had a contract with NK for the transfer of the technical know-now for the Scud Missile improvement rather than the production of the Rodong Missile.

After the meeting with Israel, the U.S. will try to reduce the military weapon export to Egypt as a sanction against the missile trade with North Korea.

The suspicion of the NK`s Rodong export to Egypt was raised by the report of a U.S. Intelligence agency that Egypt and North Korean are at the final stage of the contract for the introduction of the NK missiles, including the transfer of the technical know-how for the production of the Rodong Missile.

The U.S. is strongly opposing against the transfer of the Rodong Missile to Egypt because the 800 km range Rodong Missile will threat the security not only of Israel but also the whole Middle East. The U.S. raised this issue when the Egyptian Foreign Minister visited Washington last month. However, the Egypt`s Foreign Minister flatly denied, saying that ``President Hosni Mubarak said `there is no missile trade.` And he does not lie.``

Han Ki-Heung eligius@donga.com