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South Korean-born Aussie held for attempting to sell North Korean Missile Tech

  • The 59-year-old man was held on Saturday morning following an AFP investigation.

    The 59-year-old man was held on Saturday morning following an AFP investigation. | Photo: Australian Federal Police

Published 17 December 2017
Opinion

The 59-year-old South Korean-born Sydney resident now faces six charges relating to the accusations.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) detained and charged Chan Han Choi on suspicion he was operating as an agent for North Korea.

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The 59-year-old man was held on Saturday morning following an AFP investigation, which claims the man attempted to sell millions of dollars worth of missile components and expertise on behalf of Pyongyang.

"His actions were all around trying to raise revenue for the government of North Korea," according to AFP Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan. "We estimate that if these trades were successful we're talking tens of millions of dollars."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "It is important for people to know that if they are assisting the North Korean regime, or they are thinking of assisting them, the AFP will find you and arrest you."

The allegations levied against Chan contradicts both Australian and United Nations sanctions against North Korea. The Sydney resident now faces six charges relating to the accusations, one of which is reportedly making attempts to transfer coal from North Korea into Indonesia and Vietnam.

"Any individual who attempts to fly in the face of sanctions cannot and will not go unnoticed in Australia," the assistant commissioner explained. Police disclosed that Chan had been in “contact with high-ranking officials in North Korea.”

"This man was a loyal agent of North Korea, who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose," Gaughan said, adding says investigations are continuing and more charges will be laid.

The relationship between North Korea and Australia is strained.

In 2013, a request from Pyongyang to reinstate the North Korean embassy in Australia – which has been closed since 2008.

"I think at the end of the day he would sell whatever he could to make money back for the North Korean government."

Chan has lived in Australia for 30 years.

The maximum penalty for the offences is 10 years imprisonment.

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