Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SEOUL2675
2007-09-04 08:09:00
SECRET
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
(S) ROKG PLANS TO ALLOW SYRIA-BOUND STEEL
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #2675 2470809 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 040809Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6389 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 3077
S E C R E T SEOUL 002675
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2017
TAGS: PARM MTCRE PREL ETTC KS SY CH
SUBJECT: (S) ROKG PLANS TO ALLOW SYRIA-BOUND STEEL
TRANSSHIPMENT
REF: A. SEOUL 2271
B. SECSTATE 104089
C. SEOUL 2026
Classified By: A/DCM Joseph Y. Yun, Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
S E C R E T SEOUL 002675
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2017
TAGS: PARM MTCRE PREL ETTC KS SY CH
SUBJECT: (S) ROKG PLANS TO ALLOW SYRIA-BOUND STEEL
TRANSSHIPMENT
REF: A. SEOUL 2271
B. SECSTATE 104089
C. SEOUL 2026
Classified By: A/DCM Joseph Y. Yun, Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (S) On August 31, Kim Jae-woo, Deputy Director of the
Disarmament and Nonproliferation Division, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade, informed poloff that the ROKG had
decided to allow the transshipment of Syria-bound steel that
had been seized by ROK authorities in June. Kim said that
the Chinese government had finally concluded the
investigation that the ROKG had requested in July (as
reported reftel A). Kim explained that the Chinese
investigation determined that the Chinese company involved
was the Manufacturing Construction Factory (MCF),not a
WMD-related entity. Kim said that based on the Chinese
government's investigation results, the ROKG found no cause
to continue holding the steel shipment. Kim said he did not
know when the shipping company planned to ship the steel to
Syria, only that the ROKG had released it for shipment as of
August 30. Kim also indicated that a request from the
Israeli Embassy may have prompted the ROKG's initial seizure
of the steel in June. Kim shared that the Israeli Embassy
had earlier demarched his division and told the ROKG that
they believed the Syrian end-user of the steel was the
Scientific Studies Research Center (SSRC),an entity of
proliferation concern.
VERSHBOW
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2017
TAGS: PARM MTCRE PREL ETTC KS SY CH
SUBJECT: (S) ROKG PLANS TO ALLOW SYRIA-BOUND STEEL
TRANSSHIPMENT
REF: A. SEOUL 2271
B. SECSTATE 104089
C. SEOUL 2026
Classified By: A/DCM Joseph Y. Yun, Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (S) On August 31, Kim Jae-woo, Deputy Director of the
Disarmament and Nonproliferation Division, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade, informed poloff that the ROKG had
decided to allow the transshipment of Syria-bound steel that
had been seized by ROK authorities in June. Kim said that
the Chinese government had finally concluded the
investigation that the ROKG had requested in July (as
reported reftel A). Kim explained that the Chinese
investigation determined that the Chinese company involved
was the Manufacturing Construction Factory (MCF),not a
WMD-related entity. Kim said that based on the Chinese
government's investigation results, the ROKG found no cause
to continue holding the steel shipment. Kim said he did not
know when the shipping company planned to ship the steel to
Syria, only that the ROKG had released it for shipment as of
August 30. Kim also indicated that a request from the
Israeli Embassy may have prompted the ROKG's initial seizure
of the steel in June. Kim shared that the Israeli Embassy
had earlier demarched his division and told the ROKG that
they believed the Syrian end-user of the steel was the
Scientific Studies Research Center (SSRC),an entity of
proliferation concern.
VERSHBOW