Free Republic

South Korea has been digging into North Korean weapons smuggling efforts, and has found an elaborate, and widespread network of organizations and people that make it all work. What gave South Korea an opportunity to penetrate this web of deception was the recent seizure of an Il-76 transport carrying 40 tons of North Korean weapons. The weapons laden Il-76 jet transport seized in Thailand last December turned out to be the third such aircraft to pass over Thailand recently. U.S. intelligence has been tracking cargo transports flying out of North Korea, and an increasing number of these flights take the...

Beijing was the chief beneficiary of the North Korean missile launches earlier this month, according to Edward Timperlake, a specialist on China’s military. “The PRC played the United States and our allies brilliantly,” Timperlake said. “The NK missile launches were a windfall of intelligence for the PLA.” China was able to monitor U.S. communications and missile defense system sensor activities, as well as the rules of engagement for using a missile interceptor against a North Korean long-range missile. China has concluded that the United States has been “awakened” strategically to the growing danger from China and that the shift in...