NCRI – Top official of Korean government on Friday called for the nation’s participation in sanctions against Iranian regime.
"We must cooperate because this could also affect South Korea’s security,” the official said on the condition of anonymity.
He was referring to previous cases where North Korea was found to have exported missile technology to Iran.
“The two sides have been cooperating on missile technology since the 1980s,” he said. “This means that Iran could have just as easily exported uranium enrichment technology to North Korea.”
Thus, he said sanctions against Iran were not unrelated to South Korea’s security.
Seoul earlier this week indicated that it may impose financial sanctions on Iran.
The penalties, however, are expected to be at a level where it does not harm South Korea’s bustling economic ties with Iran.
Seoul is cautious about rubbing Iran the wrong way, as trade volume with Iran reached almost $10 billion last year.
South Korea is currently under mounting pressure from the U.S. to adopt sanctions of its own against Iranian entities seen to be involved in activities for aiding the Iranian government’s nuclear ambitions.
The official mentioned that Iran’s Shahab missile was manufactured based on North Korea’s intermediate-range Rodong missile.
Based on these two missiles, he said North Korea was able to manufacture its longer-range Taepodong 2 missile, while Iran built the Shahab-5.
The official said he believed Iran was capable of enriching uranium to a level where it can build at least one nuclear weapon.
