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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Did North Korea try to sell missiles to Taiwan? |
| 2005-07-17 |
| Is China's pit bull getting a little out of control? A 72-year-old deputy in North Korea’s Supreme People's Assembly in May applied for political asylum in South Korea from a third country, the Monthly Chosun reported. The magazine’s August edition published Sunday said the parliamentarian, who is using the alias Kim Il-do, is being questioned by the National Intelligence Service on his inside knowledge of the North’s weapons development. Kim reportedly told investigators North Korea had 4 kg of plutonium and manufactured a one-ton nuclear weapon, but added that North Korean scientists were doubtful about ability of the developed nuclear weapon. That was why, he said, the Stalinist country had been trying to make a miniaturized nuclear warhead weighing 500 kg, the magazine reported. Kim testified he himself visited Taiwan to sell North Korean-built missiles, the monthly said. He also told investigators Pyongyang was developing small submersible boats and stealth uniforms that were difficult to detect on radar, while developing weapons for its 30,000-man Special Forces, according to the magazine. Kim was to serve in the 11th Supreme People's Assembly from August 2003 to July 2008, working with the Maritime Industries Research Center under the Second Economic Committee, which is in charge of North Korea’s munitions industry. The Research Center is said to be involved in the development and illegal sale of arms. Kim, who graduated from Gyeongbuk Middle School in South Korea and defected to the North around the time of the Korean War, is said to have defected back leaving his family behind. The NIS would not confirm the report, saying the government made it a rule never to comment on the status of defectors to protect both them and any family they leave behind in North Korea. |
| Posted by:Zhang Fei |
| #8 " . . . stealth uniforms that were difficult to detect on radar . . ." I've figured out their secret! The soldiers in the uniforms have been starved so much that when they turn sideways, they're invisible to radar. |
| Posted by: Tibor 2005-07-17 23:56 |
| #7 ...someone else, is trying to damage North Korea's relationship with China.
Karl Rove is at it again! First he destroyed the New York Times credibility, then CBS, now this!! Is there ANYTHING the man can't destroy?!?!?! (/sarcasm) |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-07-17 22:05 |
| #6 I remember that Chaing Ching Guo responded to Carter's China moves by making some sort of moves toward the USSR so this would not surprise me. Actually buying more than demo qtys of anything might surprise me. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-07-17 21:17 |
| #5 Steve, we've avoided in the past giving the Taiwanese "offensive" weapons. When we helped them with the FC-1 fighter it was under the understanding that it was to be a defensive system, and it was designed accordingly, as a short-range low-speed interceptor. (Then the mainlanders bought Su-27's...) They could build surface-to-surface missiles out of their patriot-clones, putting a different warhead and guidance system on the same solid rocket motor... and they _have_ started building improved cruise missiles based on a heavily-modified harpoon clone. But those are smaller in scale and seen more as anti-shipping weapons. |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2005-07-17 21:01 |
| #4 "...visited Taiwan to sell North Korean-built missiles..." Smells like disinformation. Kim Il-do, or someone else, is trying to damage North Korea's relationship with China. |
| Posted by: Neutron Tom 2005-07-17 19:42 |
| #3 Why buy cheap NKor knock-offs of the original V-2 when you can buy American and get the best? Can't imagine that the Taiwanese are incapable of putting together a splendid tactical missile with a range of up to 500 km if they need it, whether they buy a turnkey system or assemble it from parts. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2005-07-17 19:31 |
| #2 What kind of missile is the key question: Manpads, anti-tank missiles, RPGs, or SCUDs? I would believe nK offered to sell Taiwan knockoffs of ex-soviet tactical weapons. I'm sure they also mentioned their little sideline in SSMs, but the Taiwanese probably hastily declined...not that they probably weren't interested, but they wouldn't want to piss off the US. |
| Posted by: Scotty 2005-07-17 17:12 |
| #1 ...Well, they've had the mini-subs for years, the SKors captured one some years back, and at least a few have been sunk trying to infiltrate. The stealth uniforms...I dunno, that sounds like its right up there with the JDAM jammers the Russians sold Saddam. But selling stuff to Taiwan? ABSOLUTELY believeable. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2005-07-17 16:00 |