North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

Missile Plane Sold to Georgia in October 2009

ITAR-TASS reports that the plane seized by Thai authorities on Saturday(11 December) morning was sold to Georgia in October 2009. “We have checked through our channels – the plane belongs to Georgia, but it had earlier been on Kazakhstan’s register and on October 7, 2009 it was sold to a Georgian air company. Since the moment of the sale Kazakhstan has had no relation to the plane whatsoever,” said Kazakhstan Ministry of Transport and Communications’ civil aviation official Radilbek Adimola.  The Kazakh official also confirmed that four (4) of the men arrested are Kazakhs and according to ITAR-TASS “had earlier worked with the Kazakhstani private air company East Wing and were on unpaid leave.”

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka denies that the Il-76’s illegal cargo was destined for the sweltering island nation.  Interfax reports the Ukrainians’ swift denial of any connection to the plane.  The plane landed at Gostomel Airport in the suburbs of Kiev and departed the country on 8 December.  Ukrainian Foreign Minister Petro Poroshenko also said, “The investigation has begun and Ukrainian law enforcers are ready to help.”

Information

This article was written on 15 Dec 2009, and is filled under DPRK External Relations, Second Economic Committee.

An affiliate of 38 North