ID :
94713
Sun, 12/13/2009 - 12:07
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/94713
The shortlink copeid
Seoul watchful of impounded N. Korean plane carrying weapons
Seoul watchful of impounded N. Korean plane carrying weapons SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean officials were on high alert Sunday over
a North Korean airplane that was impounded by Thai authorities a day earlier for
carrying weapons that allegedly originated in the communist nation.
"If the Thai government's announcement is true that North Korean weapons were on
board, measures should be taken against the apparent violation of U.N.
resolutions," an official at Seoul's Foreign Ministry said, requesting anonymity
as he was not authorized to speak to media on the issue.
The Thai government is expected to make a public announcement on the issue after
investigating and report the results to a U.N. committee shortly, he added.
Five foreigners were detained and their foreign-registered aircraft impounded
after it landed in the Thai capital Saturday with tons of war weaponry on board
that originated in North Korea, according to the Thai government.
Thailand's Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thingpakdi said the seizure
was "in keeping with the relevant United Nations National Security Council
resolutions."
The cargo plane that originated in Pyongyang requested to land at Bangkok's Don
Muang airport to refuel. Thai authorities seized the plane and arrested the crew
from Kazakhstan and Belarus after detecting about 35 tons of weapons that
included "missiles, explosives and tubes" on board, according to the air force
spokesman.
Thai officials believe the plane was heading to a place in South Asia.
The incident comes shortly after a Dec. 8-10 trip to Pyongyang by Washington's
special envoy Stephen Bosworth. After the trip, Bosworth said the two sides
"shared some understanding" in reviving the stalled multilateral dialogue aimed
at dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons programs.
The trip came at Pyongyang's invitation after months of brinkmanship that
included a rocket launch and a second nuclear test.
The North quit the six-nation nuclear discussions that include the two Koreas,
the United States, China, Japan and Russia after the U.N. Security Council
denounced the rocket launch in April.
North Korea also admitted it "attained some understanding" with the United States
on the need to resume the multilateral negotiations, but said differences remain.
"Thailand's measure will make clear to North Korea that the international
restraint will remain against its wrongdoings despite its recent talks with the
United States," another unnamed Seoul official said.
The previous round of denuclearization talks fell through after Washington and
Pyongyang failed to reach an agreement on a nuclear verification protocol.
Seoul and Washington, along with the other members of the six-party negotiations,
have since then adopted a two-track approach, applying both carrot and stick to
North Korea.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
a North Korean airplane that was impounded by Thai authorities a day earlier for
carrying weapons that allegedly originated in the communist nation.
"If the Thai government's announcement is true that North Korean weapons were on
board, measures should be taken against the apparent violation of U.N.
resolutions," an official at Seoul's Foreign Ministry said, requesting anonymity
as he was not authorized to speak to media on the issue.
The Thai government is expected to make a public announcement on the issue after
investigating and report the results to a U.N. committee shortly, he added.
Five foreigners were detained and their foreign-registered aircraft impounded
after it landed in the Thai capital Saturday with tons of war weaponry on board
that originated in North Korea, according to the Thai government.
Thailand's Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thingpakdi said the seizure
was "in keeping with the relevant United Nations National Security Council
resolutions."
The cargo plane that originated in Pyongyang requested to land at Bangkok's Don
Muang airport to refuel. Thai authorities seized the plane and arrested the crew
from Kazakhstan and Belarus after detecting about 35 tons of weapons that
included "missiles, explosives and tubes" on board, according to the air force
spokesman.
Thai officials believe the plane was heading to a place in South Asia.
The incident comes shortly after a Dec. 8-10 trip to Pyongyang by Washington's
special envoy Stephen Bosworth. After the trip, Bosworth said the two sides
"shared some understanding" in reviving the stalled multilateral dialogue aimed
at dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons programs.
The trip came at Pyongyang's invitation after months of brinkmanship that
included a rocket launch and a second nuclear test.
The North quit the six-nation nuclear discussions that include the two Koreas,
the United States, China, Japan and Russia after the U.N. Security Council
denounced the rocket launch in April.
North Korea also admitted it "attained some understanding" with the United States
on the need to resume the multilateral negotiations, but said differences remain.
"Thailand's measure will make clear to North Korea that the international
restraint will remain against its wrongdoings despite its recent talks with the
United States," another unnamed Seoul official said.
The previous round of denuclearization talks fell through after Washington and
Pyongyang failed to reach an agreement on a nuclear verification protocol.
Seoul and Washington, along with the other members of the six-party negotiations,
have since then adopted a two-track approach, applying both carrot and stick to
North Korea.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
