South Korea is seriously worried over reports that Thai authorities intercepted a plane with weapons from North Korea.
“If the government of that country confirms the presence of North Korean weapons aboard the plane, it is necessary to take measures in connection with this blatant violation of UN resolutions,” said on Sunday a representative of the South Korean Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade who refused to be identified.
The Thai police dismissed on Sunday a request to release on bail the crewmembers of the air transport that carried weapons from North Korea. The detainees include four citizens of Kazakhstan – Alexander Zrybnev, Viktor Abdullayev, Vitaly Shumkov and Ilyas Isakov as well as Mikhail Petukhov from Belarus.
Law enforcers accused the crew of violating aviation order and illicit arms trafficking. A request will be sent to court on Monday to extend the time of detention.
On Saturday at 16.00 local time, an IL-76 transport, flying from Pyongyang, requested to land at the Bangkok airport for refuelling. Then, over 100 officers of the Thai police and secret services boarded plane No. 4L-AWA. They spotted a “suspicious” cargo, consisting of land-to-air missiles, explosives, electronic-ray tubes and other ammunition.
