MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Australian Federal Police (AFP) arrested a man on Sunday on suspicion of acting as an economic agent for North Korea, being involved, particularly, in brokering sales of missile components, according to the police press service.
"The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have arrested a 59-year-old Sydney man for allegedly acting as an economic agent for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Government (North Korea) in Australia… It will be alleged in court the man was involved in: brokering the sale of missiles and missile componentry and expertise from North Korea to other international entities," the police statement read.
The police stressed that this was the first arrest under the Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995 in Australia.
The situation on the Korean Peninsula has become tense due to Pyongyang's missile launches and nuclear tests, all conducted in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. In September, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution that imposed a new batch of sanctions on North Korea’s officials, economy, industry and military. The most recent ballistic missile test was conducted by Pyongyang in late November.
The Australian government announced plans in November to spend nearly 207 million Australian dollars (some $154 million) on equipping its navy amid the North Korean threat.
