Seoul, Oct 23: Despite its economic plight, North Korea has bought US$400 million worth of second-hand fighter jets, submarine parts and other weapons in the past five years, South Korea's defence ministry said today. The communist state exported at least US$110 million worth of scud-type missiles and missile parts to Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Pakistan and Syria over the same period, said the ministry in a report to the National Assembly.
The United States has designated North Korea as a top proliferator of missile technology. Missiles sales provide the country with badly needed cash, which possibly finances its suspected development of nuclear weapons. According to defence ministry data, North Korea purchased an unspecified number of second-hand MiG fight jets and parts, armored vehicles, submarine parts, helicopters, tank and ship engines, anti-airplane guns, ammunition, radar and communications equipment.
The weapons originated in Russia, China, Germany, Slovakia, Austria, Belarus and Japan, the ministry said. North Korea sold US$60 million worth of scud missiles and missile parts to Yemen, Syria, Iran and Iraq last year. It also sold Yemen, Pakistan and Syria a combined US$30 million in missile technology in 1999 and US$20 million in 2001, it said. Bureau Report