U.S. Handed South Korea Information about a North Korea Uranium Export

It was confirmed that in early March, the U.S. handed secret information to South Korea that North Korea secretly exported uranium hexafluoride (UF6) to Libya and already finished the relevant monetary transfer.

Some U.S. press also reported North`s uranium export to Libya, but monetary transfer has never been confirmed. The U.S. notification of the information was followed by North`s declaration of its nuclear arms capability on February 10 and its withdrawal from six-way talks, drawing attention regarding the George W. Bush administration`s next move.

Commercial trade of nuclear substances is contrary to North Korea`s stance of having nuclear capability as a self-defense measure against the U.S.’s hostile policy against it.

According to government senior official Michael Green, senior director for Asia of the White House National Security Council (NSC), upon visiting South Korea on February 2, explained that the North sold 1.8 tons of UF6 through a Pakistani illegal arms trafficking organization to Libya and notified specific evidence of trade through a separate channel.

The U.S. revealed that the time of the money transfer corresponded to the time of North`s nuclear substance export to Libya via Pakistan`s trafficking agent, and Libya transferred a significant amount of money that corresponds to the nature of the trade material.

A government official said, "As UF6 is a medium-stage nuclear substance, not final stage fuel, the price per unit is not supposed to be that high, but considering the normal trade volume between two countries, the amount of money transferred is beyond typical economic trade."

Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6)-

Uranium hexafluoride, a chemical compound constituted just prior to final uranium enrichment, is created through a uranium enrichment process using raw uranium ore. UF6 is used solely for enriched uranium, with no other usage reported.