Australia Arrests Man for Attempting to Sell Missile Parts to North Korea

Australian police announced that they have arrested a man accused of procuring missile parts and coal from the black market for North Korea. This is the first time Australia has charged an individual in the country with attempting to sell weapons of mass destruction. On Sunday, December 17, the police stated that this man is charged with two offenses under the law against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and four other offenses under UN resolutions and Australian sanctions against North Korea. Australian media identified the 59-year-old man from Sydney as 'Chan Hoi Choi,' who has lived in the country for over 30 years and has Korean ancestry. According to Reuters, he was arrested on Saturday, December 16, in a suburb of Sydney called Eastwood and is set to appear in court on Sunday. Chan Hoi Choi has been under surveillance since the beginning of this year. Neil Gaughan, the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, stated that 'this man is a North Korean agent' who, in his opinion, acted for 'patriotic purposes.' He added that there has not been a case like this on Australian soil before. The police have accused this individual of intending to sell missile parts, including software for ballistic missile guidance systems, and also attempted to sell coal to third parties in Indonesia and Vietnam. Gaughan mentioned that if these transactions had gone through, their value would have amounted to 'tens of millions of dollars.' According to the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, this suspect has been in contact with senior North Korean officials, but no missile parts have been manufactured in Australia to date. He added that there is no evidence to suggest that Indonesian or Vietnamese officials were involved in coal sales. If the Australian court finds this suspect guilty, he could face up to 18 years in prison. North Korea was subjected to the most severe sanctions by the UN Security Council earlier this year after conducting multiple missile and nuclear tests in response to international pressures. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated after Pyongyang launched several ballistic missiles into the waters of neighboring countries and conducted its sixth powerful nuclear test. Concurrently, several joint military exercises between the US and South Korea were held, which North Korea described as preparations for war. North Korea claims that the ballistic missile tested in November this year is capable of reaching the entire territory of the United States. Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, called on Pyongyang on Friday to exercise 'restraint' and allow for negotiations regarding its nuclear and missile programs. However, Pyongyang has shown little willingness for negotiations.