Pubdate: Mon, 05 May 2003
Source: Wall Street Journal (US)
Copyright: 2003 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.wsj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487
Author: Jay Solomon

U.S. DEBATES METHODS TO HALT NORTH KOREA'S ILLICIT EXPORTS

As North Korea threatens to export nuclear devices, hawks inside the Bush 
administration are privately devising ways to choke off the country's 
illicit exports. The plans range from establishing an economic embargo 
against Pyongyang to interdicting North Korean ships on the high seas.

U.S. officials say such plans are nowhere near complete, as the Bush 
administration continues to debate internally whether to pursue a policy of 
containment or engagement toward North Korea. Last month, trilateral talks 
between the U.S., China and North Korea broke down after Pyongyang admitted 
to possessing atomic weapons and signaled its willingness to produce more. 
The Bush administration is still seeking to verify North Korea's claims.

If the U.S. did press to cordon off North Korea, it would face a host of 
diplomatic and military challenges, North Asia security experts say. Chief 
among them would be enlisting the support of China, Russia and South Korea 
- -- a long shot in the current geopolitical environment, they say. In 
addition, Washington would have to contend with a North Korean regime that 
has developed a sophisticated arms- and drug-smuggling network in league 
with Asian gangs and some Middle Eastern governments, analysts say.

U.S. officials have been trying to sell North Asian governments on the 
merits of constraining Pyongyang for several months. But China, considered 
crucial to any joint effort to curb North Korea, has been loath to condone 
moves that would destabilize Pyongyang. Earlier this year, for example, 
U.S. officials broached the idea of placing sanctions on North Korean drug 
and missile sales and got a noncommittal response from Chinese officials, 
Beijing-based diplomats say.

Still, hard-liners in the Defense Department are likely to push for a 
strong containment policy in the coming months, U.S. officials say. One 
possible route would be to impose sanctions against North Korea through the 
United Nations or as a cooperative effort with China, South Korea, Russia 
and Japan. There could also be an effort to block financial transfers into 
North Korea and to potentially bar North Korean diplomats from leaving the 
country, U.S. officials say.

If Washington decided to choke off North Korean exports -- essentially 
blockading the country -- security experts say it would have to closely 
monitor the North Korean ports of Nampo and Haeju on the west coast and 
Chongjin and Wonsan on the east. The greater test, they say, would be to 
guard against Pyongyang using overland routes through China, Russia and 
South Korea to export materials. That would also entail the strong support 
of those countries, many of whom are voicing their opposition to a hard 
line from Washington.

Currently, the U.S. is set to maintain tight surveillance on cargo ships 
leaving North Korea, which potentially could be trading in narcotics or 
weapons systems. In December, Washington worked with Spanish authorities to 
interdict a North Korean ship in the Gulf of Aden, finding in the cargo 
hold parts for as many as 12 Scud missiles. Though the U.S. ultimately 
allowed the North Koreans to make delivery of the missiles to the Yemen 
government, some U.S. officials are saying Washington should only increase 
this type of monitoring.

Last month, the Australian navy commandeered a North Korean ship off the 
coast of Sydney that allegedly was moving heroin valued at $50 million. 
U.S. officials say they weren't directly involved in the bust but have 
stressed that Washington, too, will start working harder to crack down on 
Pyongyang's drug trade. Officials from the U.S. military command in Seoul 
say North Korea is earning between $500 million and $1 billion from the 
narcotics trade, which they fear is being used to support Pyongyang's 
weapons development.

On Friday, Australia's foreign minister, Alexander Downer, summoned the 
North Korean ambassador to a meeting to express concern about the alleged 
trafficking incident. Mr. Downer said the meeting was called after 
officials discovered that a member of Pyongyang's ruling Worker's Party was 
on board the ship, the Pong Su, which the Australians say is state owned.

"Whilst we can't prove that the government made the decision to send this 
ship and sell drugs into Australia to make money, we are concerned that 
instruments of the government may have been involved in this," Mr. Downer said.

- -- Charles Hutzler in Beijing and Murray Heibert in Washington contributed 
to this article.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens