Iran Visited North Korea and Learned Nuclear Technology

On August 10 during a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives, Iran was accused by a representative of dispatching three groups to North Korea for the purpose of acquiring nuclear knowledge.

Until now, the North was known to have received nuclear technology from Pakistani Dr. Abdul Cadir Khan, along with Iran, Libya, and Iraq. However, this is the first time that North Korea and Iran are suspected for being closely connected with regards to nuclear technology.

Curt Weldon, a representative from Pennsylvania, said during a hearing of the House of Representatives’ Military Committee that it had informed the State Department a year ago that Iran was pursuing a nuclear program and had sent three groups to North Korea to learn nuclear expertise. Weldon, however, didn’t disclose the details of the exact date when the three Iranian groups entered North Korea.

Based on the memos that the Military Committee received from two Iranians in Paris, France for the past 18 months, he said that a message saying, “Iran plans to harm Iraq” was delivered to the CIA and DIA.

Rep. Weldon also asserted that Iran informed the State Department eight months ago of the name “Muqtada al-Sadr,” a fundamentalist Shiite cleric who was known to have received financial support from Iran long before Sadr’s name was opened to the public.

Soon-Taek Kwon maypole@donga.com