North Korea says seized Cuba arms part of legitimate deal

North Korea said Wednesday, July 17, that Cuban arms seized from a Pyongyang-flagged ship near the Panama Canal were part of a legitimate deal, amid concerns UN sanctions may have been violated. Havana said the arms, discovered on the ship among tons of sugar, were “obsolete” Soviet-era missiles and parts, which were being sent to North Korea for repair — an account backed up by its allies in Pyongyang. But Panama on Wednesday officially requested UN inspectors scrutinize the cargo, which UN diplomats said could constitute a breach of the strict arms sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear program. A spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon said in a statement the secretary general “commends the action taken by Panama in full conformity with its obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions.”

Read the full story on Rappler.