US Blocks Missiles From North Korea

A bit of interesting news from the Pacific. From AFP.

The New York Times said the ship was intercepted south of the Chinese city of Shanghai by a US destroyer on May 26.

In an interview with Yonhap news agency, Samore identified the cargo ship as the M/V Light and said it may have been bound for Myanmar with military-related contraband, such as small arms or missile-related items.

"We talked directly to the North Koreans. We talked directly to all the Southeast Asian countries including Myanmar, urging them to inspect the ship if it called into their port," he was quoted as saying.

"The US Navy also contacted the North Korean ship as it was sailing, to ask them where they were going and what cargo they were carrying."

North Korea is subject to international and United Nations sanctions designed to curb its missile and nuclear programmes.

UN Resolution 1874, adopted in June 2009, one month after the North's second nuclear test, toughened a weapons embargo and authorised member states to intercept such shipments.

This is the New York Times article.

This is not the first time UN Resolution 1874 has been invoked to intercept North Korean missile shipments by sea to Myanmar, as India turned back a ship under similar circumstances back in August 2009. There are likely other examples, but few make the press. Even when they do make the press, the details are rarely revealed.

First, we will simply nod in the direction of the intelligence at work behind the scenes, smile, and move on.

Second, this is taking place in China's back yard and China is nowhere to be found. We are talking about enforcement of a UN Resolution preventing proliferation of weapons related to ballistic missiles and nuclear materials, and China is allowing these activities in their neighborhood.

Just one more example where China does very little to promote the peace in a region they claim to desire regional leadership to promote, and one more example why regional nations look towards the US, and not China, for leadership.

Not explicitly stated in any article linked - the US believes these 300nm missiles were ultimately bound for Iran.