WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is suspected of working with Syria on its chemical weapons and ballistic missile programs in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, a U.N. panel of experts has said.
The eight-member panel tasked with monitoring sanctions implementation against Pyongyang made the observation in a 111-page report published online on Saturday, two days before the U.S.-proposed date for a new Security Council resolution vote.
The panel said it is investigating "reported prohibited chemical, ballistic missile and conventional arms cooperation" between North Korea and Syria, including activities on Syria's Scud missile programs and maintenance and repair of its surface-to-air missile air defense systems.
An investigation is also ongoing to determine whether blacklisted North Korean entities or individuals continue to operate in the Middle Eastern country, it said.
"Two (U.N.) Member States interdicted shipments destined for the Syrian Arab Republic," the report said. "Another Member State informed the Panel that it had reasons to believe that the goods were part of a KOMID contract with the Syrian Arab Republic."
KOMID, or the North's Korea Mining Development Trading Corp., is the regime's primary arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons.
"The consignees were Syrian entities designated by the European Union and the United States as front companies for the Syrian Arab Republic Scientific Studies and Research Center," the report said, noting the center has been identified by the panel as cooperating with KOMID in previous prohibited item transfers.
"The Center was reported by Member States as the entity responsible for the Syrian Arab Republic chemical weapons program," it added.
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