It's been a while since I posted anything on
North Korea, though I've been preparing something on the imminent
famine and responses to it from the ROK, UN and US, this story
deserves mention. There are articles on Kim (his name, according to
Yonhap at
(LEAD) N.K. defector probably linked to arms trade with Taiwan:
NIS and a later article,
(2nd LD) Recent N.K. defector linked to arms trade with Taiwan:
NIS) at
North
Korean parliamentarian defects to South Korea: Report (by
India's Zeenews),
North Korean legislator seeking asylum in South (by Reuters of
India) and
North Korean parliamentarian defects to South Korea: report
(AFP via Khaleej Times).
Information from the defector appearing in the articles so far is
limited to the DPRK's nuclear weapons, and possible Taiwanese-DPRK
arms trade.
The defector said North Korea had
manufactured a one-tonne nuclear weapon, and was trying to make
nuclear weapons weighing 500 kg (1,110 pounds), the [Chosun Ilbo]
paper reported.
(from the Reuters article.)
The defector in his 70s was involved in
North Korea's arms trade with Taiwan, Yonhap said.
"The trade seems not to include nuclear weapons," an intelligence
official was quoted as saying.
(from the Zeenews report.)
Chosun Ilbo's article is
'N.K. Deputy Seeks Asylum in South' says 'Kim Il-do' is an
alias, and
[H]e 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\u2019s munitions industry. The Research Center is said
to be involved in the development and illegal sale of arms.