ROKG SOLICITS U.S. VIEWS ON COMMERCIAL SALE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 003236 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2017 TAGS: KS MARR PARM PREL VE SUBJECT: ROKG SOLICITS U.S. VIEWS ON COMMERCIAL SALE OF VEHICLES TO VENEZUELAN MILITARY Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun, Reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3. ¶2. (C) On October 31, Park Chul-min, Director of the Disarmament and Nonproliferation Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) shared information regarding the pending sale of up to 3000 vehicles to the Venezuelan military by the ROK company Daewoo International. Park said the 3000 vehicles would consist of 2.5 and 5 ton cargo trucks, 1.25 and 2.5 shop vans, 5 ton wreckers, and 1.25 ton ambulances. The vehicles would be sold over the period 2008 to 2013 and would be used by the Venezuelan military, and possibly border guards. Unaware of any international or U.S. legal requirements limiting such a sale, Park said the ROKG viewed it as a simple commercial transaction. However, given known USG concerns vis-a-vis arms transactions by the Chavez regime in Venezuela and the ROKG's continued commitment to share export information with the U.S. in all potentially sensitive cases, Park thought it prudent to inform the U.S. Park said the ROKG intended to permit the transaction to proceed after one week, unless the U.S. was aware of any U.S. or international legal requirements that would impact the sale. Park requested that the U.S. respond with any further information or concerns no later than November 6. ¶3. (C) Post requests that Department advise whether the USG has any concerns or is aware of any legal restrictions on the proposed vehicle sale so that Post may respond to MOFAT before their requested deadline of November 6. VERSHBOW