Australian man faces N Korea missile charges

AUSTRALIAN police have arrested a man accused of working on the black market to sell missile components and coal on behalf of North Korea.

The man has been charged with two counts under an act preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and with another four under legislation enforcing UN and Australian sanctions against North Korea.

The Sydney man was identified by Australian media yesterday as 59-yearold Chan Han Choi, who they said had been living in Australia for more than 30 years and was of Korean descent.

He was arrested in the suburb of Eastwood on Saturday and was due to face court later yesterday. He came to the attention of authorities this year, the Australian Federal Police said.

“This man was a loyal agent of North Korea, who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose,” the force’s assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan told reporters.