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archive: Pak-bound N. Korean ship with missile machinery detained

Pak-bound N. Korean ship with missile machinery detained

Mihir Mistry
The Times of India
July 5, 1999


    Title: Pak-bound N. Korean ship with missile machinery detained
    Author: Mihir Mistry
    Publication: The Times of India 
    Date: July 5, 1999 
    
    A Pakistan-bound ship from North Korea, which was intercepted and
    detained by customs authorities at Kandla port, has been found to be
    carrying spare-parts and machinery for developing short range
    liquid-propelled surface-to-surface missiles.
    
    Intelligence sources said 80 packets out of the total cargo of about
    178 packets of heavy engineering goods checked by the customs
    authorities had yielded raw materials and technology of the Nodong-1
    generation North Korean missiles which Pakistan plans to pit against
    the 150-km range Prithvi missile of India.
    
    Investigators seized heavy duty presses and lathe machines that are
    used to flatten and mill high grade steel sheets.  A plate bending
    ma-chine with three rollers capable of rolling 16 mm thick sheets has
    also been recovered.  Ibis was meant for the manufacture of the easing
    of the rocket's motor.
    
    Amongst speciality items seized were "torroidal" air bottles which are
    used to guide missile war heads once-they have separated from the
    engine.  It is the mid-course path correction system of missiles.
    
    Investigators have also recovered two sets of "theodolides" which are
    used to survey the launch site in order to ensure that the missile
    launcher is properly aligned with the missile at the time of firing.
    
    Among other equipment seized were three sophisticated electronic
    weighing machines and a digital micron soldering machine.  According
    to DRDO experts, the North Korean ship 'Ku-Wol-San' was carrying 1.5
    mm forged steel bars that is used for making missile parts.
    
    Ale cargo also contained water refining and filtration machinery used
    for purifying water to a high degree in order to use it to wash
    missile cones.  Also being carried was 18 boxes of machinery for other
    military use.
    
    Intelligence sources said the ship, owned by Puhung Trading
    Corporation, North Korea, had been detained by the Kandla customs on
    June 25 after starting from the North Korean capital Pyongyang.
    
    The ship had off-loaded 13,000 metric tonnes of sugar at Kandla and
    had declared 'to revenue authorities that it was carrying 177 tonnes
    of machinery parts for Malta, though the suspicion was that the
    consignment was to be off-loaded at Karachi.
    
    The catch also confirms the long feared military relations between
    North Korea and Pakistan, which, along with China, is believed to be
    covertly developing missile system.  Source said the catch will also
    put a question mark on Pakistan's claims at indigenous development of
    missiles, including the 'Hatf' and 'Shaheen' series.
    



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