Archive for the ‘Yemen’ Category

North Korean-supplied missiles to Yemen

Wednesday, July 29th, 2015

According to Yonhap:

Scud missiles fired into Saudi Arabia by Yemeni rebels in recent months came from North Korea, a South Korean intelligence official said Wednesday, in the latest case that illustrated North Korea’s support for the weapons programs of some countries in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia has shot down about 40 percent of some 20 Scud missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, said the official, who is familiar with the issue.

He did not give further details on how South Korea reached the conclusion that the missiles originated from North Korea. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

Missile exports have long been a major source of hard currency for North Korea.

“North Korea has sold missiles to Yemen and sent missile engineers to that country in the 1990s,” said a former North Korean official, who was in a position to know about the arms deals.

Another former North Korean intelligence official in Seoul said North Korea sold many Scud missiles to countries in the Middle East, noting Egypt was the hub of North Korea’s arms trade in the region.

The two former North Korean officials, who later defected to South Korea, asked not to be identified, citing the issue’s sensitivity.

North Korea’s Scud-B missiles and Scud-C missiles have a range of 300 kilometers and 500 kilometers, respectively, according to South Korea’s Defense Ministry.

Read the full story here:
Scud missiles fired into Saudi Arabia from Yemen traced to N. Korea: official
Yonhap
2015-7-29

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DPRK emigration data

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Josh points out this table from the UNHCR (originally published by RFA):

refugee_table-800.jpg

Click image for larger version.

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DPRK ships (2)* Vs. Somali Pirates (1)

Monday, January 25th, 2010

(* = assist from the US Navy)

DPRK sailors (or DPRK flagged ships) have come under attack from Somali pirates three times since October 2007. 

In the first attack, the DPRK ship overcame the pirates with the assistance of the US Navy. More here

In November 2009, a North Korean crew was taken hostage by Somali pirates. I still don’t know what happened to them, but I hope they were released safely. More here

This week Josh points out an AP story about a third attackon a Yemeni-owned, DPRK-flagged vessel:

The U.S. Navy says it overtook a suspected Somali pirate skiff that tried to attack a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden.

A Navy statement issued Sunday says a security team aboard the merchant vessel Napht Al Yemen 1 repelled the Jan. 20 pirate attack without U.S. help.

The USS Porter stopped and boarded the pirate skiff later that day.

The commercial ship is Yemeni owned but sails under a North Korean flag.

The incident marked a rare example of the U.S. military aiding North Korea, a reclusive rogue nation.

Piracy is among the fastest ways to make money in Somalia, a nation plagued by war and no functioning government.

Somali pirates seized 47 vessels last year. They currently hold about 200 crew members hostage.

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US berates N Korea over Scud exports

Wednesday, December 11th, 2002

BBC
12/11/2002

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has condemned North Korea over its apparent attempt to deliver a shipment of Scud missiles to Yemen.

Acting on American intelligence, the Spanish Navy intercepted and boarded the freighter So San in the Arabian Sea on Monday.

US naval forces then conducted a search of the vessel and discovered 15 Scud missiles and warheads hidden under a cargo of cement, along with a quantity of chemicals.

Yemen has now confirmed that it ordered the missiles, and has protested to the US and Spain over the ships’s seizure.

While the Yemeni Government is not regarded as an enemy by the US, there are fears that such military hardware could fall into the hands of radical Islamic groups operating in the country.

Mr Rumsfeld said: “North Korea doesn’t like to hear me say it, but they continue to be the largest proliferator of missiles and ballistic missile technology on the face of the Earth.

“They are putting in the hands of many countries technology and capabilities which have the potential for destroying hundreds of thousands of people.”

Legal questions

Mr Rumsfeld declined to comment on whether the missile shipment constituted a violation of international law, but said there were legal issues surrounding efforts to conceal the weapons.

Questions about the legality of the seizure have already been raised.

US naval forces have taken charge of the ship and are escorting it to Diego Garcia island.

The current US administration has branded North Korea part of an “axis of evil”, along with Iraq and Iran.

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