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North Korea Opens Safe with Nuclear Button
// Kim Jong-il’s son came to Macau for millions
The Macau Special Administrative Region of China informed yesterday that Kim Jong-nam, North Korean leader’s eldest son, arrived there incognito. Apparently, his visit is linked to US-North Korea talks which are going on in Beijing now. The talks are about the $24 million which were frozen in Delta Asia bank in Macau on Washington’s demand. A source in North Korea’s government warned yesterday that if the money is not unfrozen soon, then Pyongyang will carry out a second nuclear explosion.
Chinese authorities froze North Korea’s accounts in Delta Asia in October 2005 on the grounds of the information supplied by US Treasury Department. It accuses Pyongyang of using Delta Asia and other banks in Macau and Hong Kong for laundering money allegedly earned by selling false 100-dollar notes printed in North Korea, drugs, and weapons. Korea repudiated these charges and declared it is leaving the six-sided talks.
The reason why Pyongyang is so desperate to return the $24 million might be that it is Kim Jong-il’s personal money. Japanese sources say that North Korean leader’s eldest son Kim Jong-nam has secretly arrived to Macau. He might be waiting for the outcome of US-Korea talks about the $24 million. If the accounts are unfrozen, Kim Jong-nam will be able to transfer money to a safer bank.
However, the talks are not very successful so far. Pyongyang repudiates Washington’s accusations, and threatens US with a second nuclear test.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Feb. 01, 2007
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