Australian police arrest man accused of brokering N. Korean missiles

北 미사일 수출 중개 한국계 호주인 체포
Police in Australia have arrested a man suspected of acting as an economic agent for North Korea.
They say there's evidence the suspect has been in contact with "high ranking officials" in the North.
Park Soyun reports.
Local authorities identified the suspect as a 59-year-old naturalized Australian man originally from South Korea.
They say Choi Chan-han was a low-level hospital worker who had been living alone in Sydney.
He's been charged with brokering sales of missiles, missile components and expertise from North Korea,... as well as discussing the supply of weapons of mass destruction.
Choi is said to have been working for the North Korean government since at least 2008.
Police also say Choi attempted to transfer coal from North Korea to non-government entities in Vietnam and Indonesia.
A high-ranking police official said he had never seen such a case in Australia.
He said that, if successful,... the various trades could have amounted to tens of millions of dollars.

(English)
"We think he is acting as an economic agent on behalf of North Korea. There is nothing to suggest he's doing anything but that, he's doing it out of a patriotic purpose... I think it does go to show that the sanctions are biting, the fact that we've got people involved in these types of activities means that I think the sanctions are actually having some effect."

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also responded to the arrest.

(English)
"North Korea is a dangerous, reckless, criminal regime threatening the peace of the regime... It is vitally important that all nations work relentlessly to enforce those sanctions because the more economic pressure that can be brought on North Korea the sooner will that regime will be brought to its senses."

Choi could face up to ten years behind bars if convicted and has been denied bail.
Park Soyun, Arirang News.

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