Libya–North Korea relations (Korean: 리비아-조선민주주의인민공화국 관계, Arabic: العلاقات بين ليبيا وكوريا الشمالية) are relations between North Korea and Libya. North Korea established formal diplomatic relations with Muammar Gaddafi regime in Libya in 1974. The North Korean government maintains an embassy in Tripoli. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Libyan government under Muammar Gaddafi established close ties with the North Korean government and purchased a significant amount of North Korea's weaponry.[1]
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 North Korea |
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History
edit1974–2011: Military-nuclear cooperation
edit
From 1974 until 2011, relations between the two States were marked by a cordial understanding, North Korea in particular supplying the Libya with uranium hexafluoride, a compound used for the enrichment of uranium and fuel for nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons according to a The Pentagon report.[2][3]
A number of North Korean workers were also present in the country. North Korean exports to Libya included military equipment such as Scud C missiles with a range of 550km.[4] Libyan government is also in favor of the acquisition of Rodong-1 (Hwasong-7) Medium-range ballistic missiles and even long-range missiles from North Korea due to the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations, to use them against possible the United States and NATO targets in the event of Western threats.[5] The United States officials then denounce a "cooperation between North Korea and Libya". North Korea was indeed one of the most important arms suppliers to the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, along with the Soviet Union.
On 19 December 2003, Libya finally agreed to end its weapon of mass destruction program, destroy its ballistic missiles with a range of over 300km / 500 kg payload and authorize immediate inspections of the United Nations.[4]
Libyan civil war and the fall of Muammar Gaddafi
editIn 2011, as the First Libyan Civil War broke out, North Korean conventional weapons were found by rebels from the National Transitional Council, including rockets, Anti-aircraft warfares and anti-personnel mines.[6] On 24 March 2011, North Korean government suggested to Libya in a statement that "it should have kept its nuclear program."[7] The dismantling of Libyan weapons of mass destruction has indeed made possible the military intervention of NATO according to some analysts.[8][9] On 12 May 2011, the North Korean embassy in Tripoli was reportedly damaged in a NATO raid targeting a nearby Libyan military complex.[10] NATO refuted shortly after targeting the embassy.[11]
North Korea has not recognized the authority of the rebels[12] and has banned its nationals working in Libya (around 200) from returning to North Korea for fear of the popular revolt spreading.[13]
References
edit- ^ Oliemans, Joost; Mitzer, Stijn (5 January 2015). "North Korea and Libya: friendship through artillery". NK News. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
- ^ "Gadhafi's Death Is Bad News for N.Korea". Chosun. 24 October 2011.
- ^ "North Korea provided Libya with N-material, says Pentagon". The Statesman. 3 May 2013.
- ^ a b "Libyan Missiles". GlobalSecurity.org.
- ^ "North Korean Missile Exports". The Risk Report. 2 (6). November–December 1996. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Spotted: NK Arms in Libya". The Wall Street Journal. 30 March 2011.
- ^ "North Korea Suggests Libya Should Have Kept Nuclear Program". The New York Times. 24 March 2011.
- ^ "North Korea: NATO War in Libya Proves Disarming Is Unwise". Antiwar.com. 21 February 2013.
- ^ "North Korean nuclear weapons: Lessons from Libya". East Asia Forum. 3 September 2011.
- ^ "NATO Attacks North Korea's Embassy in Tripoli, Libya". Mathaba. 12 May 2011.
- ^ "NATO rejects Tripoli strike targeted North Korea embassy". Business Recorder. 12 May 2011. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "North Korea yet to recognize Libya's rebel NTC". 30 August 2011.
- ^ "North Korea bans citizens working in Libya from returning home". The Telegraph. 27 October 2011.