On late Sunday night, The New York Times reported that two weeks ago, a U.S. Navy destroyer forced a North Korean cargo ship to return home after a standoff at sea. The newspaper reported that several days of diplomatic pressure from Asian nations and the United States was necessary in order to turn the vessel around. The White House has confirmed the report.
Gary Samore, who is President Obama’s special assistant on weapons of mass destruction, told reporters in South Korea that the ship may have been carrying missile-related items or small arms for Myanmar’s military.
The United Nations imposed sanctions on North Korea because the country was conducting nuclear testing in 2006 and 2009. It also banned trade on all missile and nuclear technology. Last year, the U.N. passed another resolution allowing its member states to inspect North Korean air, land, and sea cargo.
The Times reported that on May 26th, the USS McCampbell intercepted the M/V Light cargo ship, just south of Shanghai. U.S. officials were tracking the ship because they had information that the vessel was previously involved in illegal shipments.
The North Korea crew refused to allow the destroyer crew to board. Belize had given the U.S. permission to search the vessel, but it turned around rather than allow U.S. Navy personnel on board. As the ship was tracked by U.S. satellites and surveillance planes, it made its way back into to its home port.
This incident has raised more questions about the trade between Myanmar and North Korea of military items. It’s possible that Iran is also involved in some of the deals, as well. In March, an expert on Myanmar, Bertil Lintner, wrote on Asia Times Online that “Military-run Myanmar’s growing weapons ambitions, including new revelations that the reclusive regime is producing long-range, Scud-type missiles with North Korean assistance, threaten to destabilize the region.”
