N. Korea readies Taepodong missiles for sale to Iran
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, December 14, 1999
TOKYO -- A South Korean newspaper reported that North Korea is
considering exporting Taepodong missiles to Iran.
The Yonhap News Agency, quoting U.S. intelligence sources, reported on
Sunday that North Korea will sell the Taepodong-1 missile to Iran and other
unspecified countries for approximately $6 million each.
The report did not qualify the amount of missiles involved in the
projected transaction.
Meanwhile, the multilateral consortium Korean Peninsula Energy
Development Organization [KEDO] agreed on Monday to provide two nuclear
power reactors to North Korea.
A contract for the construction of the nuclear plant is scheduled to be
signed between the main contractor and the North Korean government on
Wednesday.
The executive board of [KEDO] agreed at a one-day meeting in Tokyo to
''proceed in the direction of signing a main contract,'' Japan's Vice
Foreign Minister Yutaka Kawashima told a press conference.
Japan's Social Democratic Party [SDP] leader Takako Doi held talks
Monday with South Korean President Kim Dae Jung.
Following the talks, Kim said he welcomes Japanese moves to normalize
diplomatic ties with North Korea.