BRIEFS
NORTH KOREA: Shipment of Banned Chemical Suits from China
Thomas Keysor
Issue date: 10/14/09 Section: Eagle Eye
Summary: South Korea intercepted a large shipment of chemical hazard suits sent to North Korea from China.Â
Development: On Sept. 22, the South Korean Coast Guard searched a freight vessel bound for North Korea from China in the South Korean port of Busan. On Oct. 5, the South Korean Intelligence Service revealed that four of the ship's containers contained chemical protection suits. These suits are banned from entering North Korea by the Australia Group, an organization of 33 nations that supports chemical weapons nonproliferation. The suits were being sent from the Chinese port of Tianjin to North Korea. The same day, South Korean intelligence estimated that North Korea has 12 chemical weapons production facilities and 5,000 tons of chemical weapons stockpiled. North Korea denied these allegations.Â
Analysis: North Korea seems to be expanding its capacity to wage chemical warfare. It is probable that China is aware of this intention and wishes to aid North Korea in this endeavor. The chemical suits could be used in chemical weapons production facilities that produce sarin, VX, mustard gas, and other weapons-all of which North Korea is thought to possess. The expanding North Korean chemical weapons program further destabilizes its relationship with the West and threatens the national security of South Korea.
Development: On Sept. 22, the South Korean Coast Guard searched a freight vessel bound for North Korea from China in the South Korean port of Busan. On Oct. 5, the South Korean Intelligence Service revealed that four of the ship's containers contained chemical protection suits. These suits are banned from entering North Korea by the Australia Group, an organization of 33 nations that supports chemical weapons nonproliferation. The suits were being sent from the Chinese port of Tianjin to North Korea. The same day, South Korean intelligence estimated that North Korea has 12 chemical weapons production facilities and 5,000 tons of chemical weapons stockpiled. North Korea denied these allegations.Â
Analysis: North Korea seems to be expanding its capacity to wage chemical warfare. It is probable that China is aware of this intention and wishes to aid North Korea in this endeavor. The chemical suits could be used in chemical weapons production facilities that produce sarin, VX, mustard gas, and other weapons-all of which North Korea is thought to possess. The expanding North Korean chemical weapons program further destabilizes its relationship with the West and threatens the national security of South Korea.
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