NKorea sells missiles to Egypt
2001-11-26 09:31
Seoul - North Korea has concluded a secret accord with Egypt to sell medium-range missiles and related technology, a major South Korean newspaper said on Monday.
The accord, signed earlier this year, has sparked security
concerns in Israel, the JoongAng Ilbo said, quoting South Korean
diplomatic sources.
"North Korea concluded the transaction secretly with Egypt
earlier this year," a diplomatic source was quoted as saying.
Ha'aretz, an Israeli newspaper, reported in July that North
Korea sold Rodong missiles and manufacturing technology to Cairo.
The Rodong has a range of 1 000 kilometres.
Egypt already has Russian-made Scud missiles, but with a range
of 300 kilometres, these are not considered effective
against most of its neighbours, particularly Israel, JoongAng said.
While the United States and European nations are reluctant to
sell longer-range missiles, the north has jumped at the chance to
earn badly-needed foreign currency.
According to US data, North Korea sold 250 missiles worth 580
million dollars to Middle East countries during the war between
Iran and Iraq in the 1980s.
After the war ended in 1988, North Korea's missile exports
dropped significantly.
JoongAng quoted an unnamed military analyst as saying: "We
believe the North Koreans agreed to sell as many as 24 Rodong
missiles to the Egyptian military."
North Korea's missile development sparked international alarm in
1998 when it launched a suspected ballistic missile over Japan,
demonstrating its ability to launch long-range warheads.
It announced a moratorium the following year.
Washington has tried to curb North Korea's development and export
of missiles to other countries. President George W Bush has cited
the north's missile exports to justify his controversial missile
defence shield program.
Under international pressure, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il has told several foreign leaders the moratorium will last until 2003. - Sapa/AFP
- SAPA