North Korea tried to buy technology for nuclear arms from Czech sources

The Czech Intelligence Agency (BIS) has revealed that last year, North Korea attempted to purchase restricted machines from Czech sources for its nuclear weapons program. BIS spokesman Jan Subrt says that during 2005 the Czech Intelligence Agency intercepted three cases in which shipments of specialized cutting tools and spare parts were headed to North Korea, via a third country. The technology in question would allow North Korea to develop a smaller nuclear weapon, with a compatible carrier system that would enable the weapon to travel farther - something expert observers believe that the North Koreans lack. While the technology in question is used in the Czech Republic, its export has been strictly forbidden since 2003 for security reasons. In 2005 North Korea officially admitted that it possesses nuclear arms, and the country conducted a nuclear test on September 9, 2006.