N Korea, Mideast in missile deal

2003-05-13 09:26

Tokyo - North Korea exported $580m worth of ballistic missiles to the Middle East in 2001, a Japanese newspaper said on Tuesday, citing a US military officer in South Korea.

In addition, the officer said, it was believed Pyongyang exported $500m worth of opium and other narcotics, and 15 to 20 million in counterfeit US dollars annually, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.

"It is rare for a US military officer in South Korea to reveal such specific figures, and analysts said the action suggested Washington would soon increase economic pressure on Pyongyang," the leading newspaper said.

The revelation comes just over a month after the US State Department accused North Korea of exporting missile technology to Pakistan's nuclear firm AQ Khan Research Laboratories.

The export prompted the US to slap trade sanctions on KRL and the North Korean missile marketing entity Changgwang Sinyong Corporation on March 24.

Japan has been openly flirting with the idea of using sanctions to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program and resolve the issue of its abduction of Japanese nationals.

On Monday, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe told a seminar that sanctions were not ruled out in dealing with North Korea.

"The Japanese government for its part is not considering sanctions at this point in time but we may examine every possible option as a matter of course," Abe said in a keynote speech. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA