Authorities in Japan today raided a North Korean freighter believed to have been used 10 years ago to ship materials that could be used to create chemical weapons to North Korea, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Feb. 17).
Coast guard, customs office and police officials searched the 2,705-ton Hwang Kum San. The ship entered the port of Chiba this morning, according to AFP.
“We checked the cargo ship but we found nothing illegal there," said a coast guard spokesman, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
According to reports, the ship is suspected of illegally transporting sodium fluoride and other materials to North Korea in 1996. Sodium fluoride is the key ingredient of sarin nerve agent.
Japanese authorities would not comment on the reports (Agence France-Presse, March 7).