A shipment of missiles and fuel material to Yemen left the North Korean port of Nampo two weeks ago, the Washington Times reported today (see GSN, Aug. 23).

The ship held missiles as well as chemicals for use in Scud missile fuel, according to U.S. intelligence officials.  The shipment is part of a deal between the two countries that also included a delivery earlier this year, drawing a rebuke and sanctions from the United States.  Yemeni officials, who have reportedly told Washington that they do not plan to seek further missile shipments from North Korea, denied the most recent reports, according to the Times.

“We deny the credibility of any such report, that there is a second (missile) shipment,” said Yemeni Embassy spokesman Yahya Alshawkani.

The United States sanctioned North Korea — but not Yemen — after the shipments earlier this year, and U.S. officials said the latest shipment would most likely result in further sanctions against Pyongyang.

After the initial shipment, Yemeni officials had expressed defiance toward the U.S. reprimand.

“We have bought these missiles and this is a legitimate right for Yemen,” President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Aug. 24, according to local media reports (Bill Gertz, Washington Times, Dec. 2).

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