Terror

Joshua Stanton
In February 2013, Israeli aircraft struck a North Korea-linked research center near Damascus.
Although the target was a shipment of anti-aircraft missiles, The New York Times described the
center as Syria’s “main research center for work on biological and chemical weapons.” 368
In June 2013, the conservative South Korean daily, The Chosun Ilbo, reported that North Korea
was playing “a decisive role in arming the Syrian regime with chemical weapons,” by providing it
with vacuum dryers “used to dry liquid chemical materials to make them into fine powder” and
“after-sales services.” 369
President Obama has accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons in the civil
war that broke out in 2011. A Pentagon spokesman has credited the possibility of North Korean
assistance to Syria’s chemical weapons program. 370
[Syrian children, allegedly killed by a regime chemical weapons attack. Image credit: AP/Local
Committee of Arbeen 371 ]
368 David E. Sanger, Erich Schmitt, and Jodi Rudoren, “Israeli Strike Into Syria Said to Damage Research Site,” The
New York Times, 03 February 2013.
369 “N.Korea ‘Exporting Chemical Weapons Parts to Syria’,” The Chosun Ilbo, 17 June 2013.
370 Lee Chi-dong, “Pentagon suspects NK-Syria ties on chemical weapons,” Yonhap News, 06 September 2013.
371 Erika Solomon and Stephen Kalin, “Syrians retrieve ‘sleeping’ dead after alleged chemical attack kills more
than 500 people, including scores of children,” National Post, 21 August 2013.
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