Suspect North Korean Ship Changes Course Under Us Scrutiny

In this Oct. 24, 2006 file photo, North Korean ship, Kang Nam I, is anchored in Hong Kong watersA North Korean cargo ship being closely tailed by the United StatesNavy appears to be changing course, and may be returning to NorthKorea. The ship has come to be seen as an initial test of new UnitedNations restrictions on Pyongyang.

U.S. officials say the KangNam, a North Korean cargo ship, is apparently abandoning the course ithas been on for a week toward Southeast Asia, and may now be headedback home.

The ship, which intelligence officials describe ashaving a history of transporting North Korean weapons for sale, wasbelieved to have been headed toward Burma. A U.S. Navy destroyer groupbegan tracking the ship about a week ago under suspicion it may becarrying items banned under a recently passed United Nations SecurityCouncil Resolution.

The ship was expected to refuel inSingapore, where the government had promised what it called"appropriate action" under the U.N. resolution. Park Seung-jae, ananalyst with the Asia Strategy Institute in Seoul, says that may havehelped change Pyongyang's mind about the voyage.

"When they(North Korea) go through Singapore, they cannot ignore inspection fromSingapore. Also, on the other hand, it may be very difficult for themto throw out weapons or nuclear equipment on the sea," said Park.
      
Parksays if the ship does return to the North, it will bolster theimpression that international sanctions against Pyongyang areeffective. He says the United States and its partners will need tomaintain close scrutiny of the North's shipping.

"North Korean ships in Myanmar and Iran will be the first priority to watch," he said.

Weaponssales are an important source of hard currency for North Korea, one ofthe most economically isolated and impoverished nations in the world. Washington also fears Pyongyang may attempt to cash in on its nuclearprograms by selling equipment, technology, or even fissile material tonations or groups hostile to the United States.

U.N. SecurityCouncil Resolution 1874, passed in response to North Korea's nucleartest in May, authorizes member states to inspect the North's ships intheir ports or territory.

North Korea has said on several recentoccasions it would view any attempt to stop and inspect its ships bythe United States or South Korea as an act of war, and retaliateaccordingly. Pyongyang's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper extendedthat threat to Japan Wednesday, saying "responsibility for allconsequences" of military action would rest will Tokyo if it attemptedan inspection.