Underway for two weeks now, North Korea’s unimposing merchant ship Kang Nam 1 continues her mystery trip through the South China Sea at a sedate 10 knots. I expect this is for better fuel economy but not because her captain or Kim Jong Il want to be green. According to the Associated Press, anonymous U.S. intelligence sources said on Tuesday that she altered course back north and is now about 250 miles south of Hong Kong.
Kang Nam 1 is believed by some Western authorities to possibly be bound, or at least originally have been bound, for Myanmar with an export shipment of conventional arms — maybe mortars, or perhaps missile parts. Herein lies the rub. After Kim’s second-ever atom bomb test in May, the UN passed a resolution, binding on all member states, which gives the appearance of establishing a quarantine against maritime transport of arms or nuclear-related items for sale by the DPRK. But the resolution lacks teeth. If Kang Nam 1 can somehow make it to a friendly destination (Myanmar, or back to her starting point of Nampo, or somewhere else) without refueling in a third-party pro-UN port such as Singapore, nothing stands in her way.
A U.S. Navy spokesman indicated a lack of good data on both the ship’s fuel mileage and the capacity of her fuel tanks, though presumably experts can make basic estimates. It’s unclear to me from public accounts whether Kang Nam 1 was provided before departure with extra fuel, a large cache of which could simply take the form of fuel drums crammed into some of her holds. It’s also unclear what might happen if she’s met in international waters, in reasonably calm weather, by another North Korean-flagged ship, civilian or naval, that could conduct a primitive but effective underway replenishment. Kang Nam 1 has been trailed from beyond the horizon by a U.S. Navy destroyer, but the U.S. is proceeding very cautiously about making any sort of demand to board and inspect the cargo.
David Sanger of the New York Times suggests that Kang Nam 1’s voyage might be a provocation designed to embarrass America. I’m inclined to agree. Sean McGuire of Reuters hints that increasing leaks of outside reality into North Korea could undermine the credibility of Kim’s strident anti-U.S. rhetoric among his own people, weakening his power. To dramatically innoculate the populace against such “external disinformation” would give Kim ample motive to have set up Kang Nam 1 as bait in an elaborate propaganda trap.
If Kang Nam 1 needs and wants to refuel in Singapore or Hong Kong or wherever, and her cargo upon an inspection turns out to be harmless, Kim Jong Il has further “proof,” for domestic consumption, of American persecution against the DPRK and its interests. Main elements of the USS Ronald Reagan carrier battle group docked last week in Singapore for leave and local volunteerism. What might appear as a not-coincidental show of American strength to Pyongyang, were Kang Nam 1 to try to sail right by through the Strait of Malacca without stopping, could be turned around by Kim into further proof of alleged American evil intent, thus doing more than merely salvaging face when his ship turned around. Pyongyang could cast their merchie as the intrepid underdog in a long-distance stand-off with the big, bad superpower’s supercarrier, giving ship and crew a hero’s welcome back home. If Kang Nam 1 somehow does make it to Myanmar — assuming that’s ever been her intended destination — without triggering a UN third-party in-harbor inspection somewhere, Kim can whip up patriotic fervor about the technical ingenuity and self-sacrificing perseverance of his valiant merchant marine.
In extremis, say if an attempt to board by force to inspect on the high seas were made, the crew can scuttle Kang Nam 1 in deep water and take to their lifeboats. They could even set explosive charges on short timers before they abandon her. Ambiguity as to the real nature of her cargo would thus be preserved, and ambiguity would work entirely to Kim Jong Il’s advantage.
– Joe Buff
UPDATE 9:30am EST 2 July: On Wednesday a Myanmar official said that Kang Nam 1 would not be welcome if it was carrying arms. This just adds to the puzzle. The ship turned back north on Sunday. Had Pyongyang already heard this from Myanmar on Sunday? Or did Myanmar only make the statement knowing that the ship had already turned around? Did the U.S., which is trying to improve relations with Myanmar, prevail on them to issue the statement as a quid pro quo for more aid? Or was Kang Nam 1 never bound for Myanmar in the first place?
It could also be an indication that N. Korea has simply gone too far. If Myanmar refuses to welcome the ship if it is carrying illegal cargo, then perhaps it was made clear (even to Kim Jong Il) that maybe they pushed the game further than they should.
Of course by now, it would’ve been better if the McCain were relieved by another UN nations ship. That way it doesn’t look like it is only the US doign all the dirty work.
I think the ship was probaly headed to Mynammar (screw it I’m calling it Burma) with arms and the NKs decided to turn back before they were boarded by a U.N naval vessal
Are you kidding me people don’t you read history?
Myanmar is not going to side with the U.N if the ship was going there it would be welcome.
This is simply a case of embarase the U.S.A. Big multi billion dollar war ship sent to follow a ship that they can’t even tounch FRIG FRIG FRIG.
The UN sux!
Right, the whole peacekeeping, nuclear disarming, feeding starving people in Africa, etc. its all just a horrible idea, The U.N isn’t great but does well with the resources it has
nuclear disarming, can you please name one country that had nukes and was disarmed please?
Well I mean the try, and yeah It’ll never work but still.….give them some credit. They take care of alot more issues then what people realize.
Well I mean they try, and yeah It’ll never work but still.….give them some credit. They take care of alot more issues then what people realize.
“nuclear disarming, can you please name one country that had nukes and was disarmed please?“
South Africa had six weapons and voluntarily disarmed in the 1991.
JT et.al.: Back in the late ‘90s I read some things suggesting that South Africa’s giving up their small nuclear weapons arsenal (maybe 6 nukes) was really mostly about the white in-power regime there seeing that the awful apartheid system would collapse soon, and the racist government didn’t want there to be a “Black African A-Bomb.” So they wiped out their program, and then in ’94 apartheid did fall.
BTW I saw on a blog called “Hot Air” that one commentator thinks the Kang Nam 1 turned around because, to paraphrase him, Kim blinked and Obama deserves credit for making him blink. Personally I don’t think this is an accurate take.
Also the Christian Science Monitor says that the ship turned around on Tuesday, but what I have seen is that the USN announced on Tuesday that the ship turned around on Sunday.
Well North Korea doesn’t send merchant ships out on their “Great Leader’s” orders right?
Might’ve been a WMD they were trying to get to some terror group, and it turned around because we got onto them.
Subnuc,
Other than a half way decent Christmas stamp the UN produced 15 years ago, just what is that you feel they do decently? I could write all day about their failures, their failures to act, and their corruption. Do you remember the Oil-for-food scandal? When did they move to stop the racial killings in Dafur? And in what region of the world have they ever successfully keep the peace? And when was the last time the UN actually enforced one of their threats? That is only the tip of a very nasty iceberg! So please tell me, sir, why you seem to be enambered with the UN.
If we do anything to stop Kang Nam 1, we will still look like a bully. They are not stupid enough to have anything of contoband on it. Just a game of cat and mouse. I would just just say to heck with it and leave it alone, you never play another man’s game.BV
Torpedo.
Next problem.
Blame the sinking on the ChiComs.
Of course, if we sent in frogmen to sink the boat when it enters a port or shallow water, then we can salvage in international waters.
If it can be sunk in a region shallow enough to be accessed by divers, we sink the boat with frogmen, then inspect it via diver. Then if there was nothing we leave the boat to the North Koreans for possible salvage. If we find something, raise the boat and display the cargo.
Hey guys, are you ready for Kim Jong-il’s live nuclear missile test against Hawaii tomorrow, on this glorious 4th of July of 2009 ?? This could very well be THE END of the U.S.A. = the second happiest day in our lives (after the annihilation of Jew-land) !
Clear the deck of Kang Nam 1… erect silo… open hatch… light the fuse… fuse is burning… 13… 12… 10… 9… 6… 4… 2… 1… 0 ! Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong-il, we have a lift-off… all flight parameters normal… separate first stage… orbit steady… Pyongyang, we have no problem… initiate re-entry… Pearl Harbour in sight… how peaceful it looks… change course: New target is Washington… release multiple warheads… now!
Just trolling.
Ok, I will ask the question. How can North Korea declare war against the US or South Korea if they are technically still in a state of war? Why don’t we call their bluff and board the ship and be done with it. If “the Troll” wants more war give it to him. After everything is said and done, there will be little left of NK to “sweep up and place into the dust bin of history”. I would not even bother with Nuclear weapons, just just a few “daisy cutters” and several of the MOABs stored around the US. That should definitely get “the Troll’s” attention and maybe, also a few of his idiot generals.
Ex-Navy Missile Technician
Always amazes me how stupid our population really is. What do you people really know? Nothing–
Missiles, or Nuclear Weapons– you know nothing!!
You can believe that the Kang Nam 1 crew is very scared– the USS John McCain on the horizon…
Dumb-asses like “freefallingbomb,” come on please, “light the fuse??”
“THE SCRIPT HAS NOW BEEN WRITTEN— A hair-raising confrontation in Korea may, towards the end of the period, threaten man’s very survival.” [Peter Lemesurier, “The Armageddon Script”, p. 223]
The ship is full of counterfit US currency and printing presses that is sold on the black market all over the world. It comes back home with drugs and liquor for the crack heads in north korea. This scenario would be more real world than all the other suppositions.…..
Its sad that tomorrow is the 4th of July, and the United States is being pushed around by countries like North Korea and Iran. What happened to that Axis of Evil? does anyone remember what happened in September 2001? How long are we going to stand by and let the girlscout’s — i mean the UN — deal out bogus sanctions and sit back and do nothing. Maybe this ship has nothing on it. Maybe it has a small nuclear weapon on it headed for downtown LA. How scared is our country that we can’t even board a ship owned by a country that has a military the Massachusetts Air National Guard would wipe off the map before dawn.? September 11th was a second pearl harbor, but our resolve has been weak and has only shown our enemies that we are no longer the Home of the Brave. There has to be other Americans like me who are just waiting for a twig to snap before we finally put our collective foot down and tell these clowns that Enough is Enough!
Letting this boat get away is disgusting and and embarrassment to what our nation is founded upon. This afternoon i was in Boston looking at the statue of General Washington on his horse, and I’m certain if he could he would have parked an aircraft carrier in front of this thugboat, all the while waving his proud middle finger at the rest of the international “community” — because his job is to protect the People of the United States of America, not appease the girlscout cookie stand across the ocean.
North Korea fired three missiles into the sea between the Communist state and Japan on Saturday morning, the South Korean military announced.
i see a big midle finger rising from N-Korea..
i see noone caring about.
i see n-koreans victory.
i see americans proceeding to suck chinese dicks.
make debts buy in walmarkt!
@John moore
“nuclear disarming, can you please name one country that had nukes and was disarmed please?“
South Africa & Brazil voluntarily gave up nuclear weapons. Canada had the capacity, the materials and the technology, but decided to remain nuclear free.
Bomb,
gived = gave
Sink the basterd if or if not just drop some seals onboard.
To the poster “Valcan”:
You wrote (to “flying fart proudly joned”) : “Bomb, gived = gave“
If that comment was aimed at ME (because of “Bomb”) : Thanks, but I knew that. And: “flying fart proudly joned” and I are really two different persons / posters. I usually troll with my original nickname until the editors of a F.U.B.A.R. Internet discussion forum come after it.
@freefallingbomb
arghhh… say tha trol! (we are even posting not from a same continent.)
I believe the destination should have been Iran or Syria, while Myanmar was a fake.
Remember you US hating c-nts, “he who laughs last laughs the hardest”…as I believe we will have the LAST laugh. Now go bother someone else. J-offs.
Its a 3-part ploy:
1) DECOY
2) TEST (How far can the ship make it without refuel & will someone violate the UN Resolution)
3) Propaganda (big bad ‘States are picking on us, we persevered regardless, etc.)
If someone searches without authorization, then yes, they go “Oh, no illegal materiele here!” because there’s nothing on it, other than perhaps enough dead weight to add up to a real illegal load. This way a) they get searched and the searchee gets egg on their face, b) if someone decides to destroy the ship outwright, they don’t lose the materiele.
UPDATE Monday evening: AP reports that Kang Nam 1 has reentered North Korean territorial waters. U.S. Navy CNO Admiral Gary Roughead has praised the surveillance effort which kept track of the ship and prevented any possibility of her completing any arms shipment barred by the UN.
Did Kim blink, or was the sortie by Kang Nam 1 to him all along just about internal/domestic DPRK propaganda? Will he try again with a ship that has longer cruising range, one that could reach Myanmar (or wherever) without refueling?
Was the possible launching of an ICBM toward Hawaii for the 4th of July just a rumor, or a bluff?
I think that for now at least, to the world outside Kim’s realm, he looks like a bit of a paper tiger. (But he does still have those half-dozen nukes.) Whether or not he can turn this into some sort of positive on the home front remains to be seen. If he does, the whole adventure could turn into a very strange win-win for all concerned.
What would happen if an old fishing net fouled the propellers of the ship and they were adrift in international waters far from home???
I have to agree with you, Christian… this shouts “provocation!” — the Norks send a pathetic rustbucket which wouldn’t pass a seaworthiness inspection out on a jaunt, leaks the tidbit that it’s carrying contraband to Myanmar, and if ANYTHING untoward happens onboard, Michael Moore will he able to go to Pyongyang and shoot a sympathetic movie about the whole thing later.
We did very well to shadow that stinking barge and not touch it unless we had really good cause. If the UN wants its embargoes enforced, let the Germans or the Australians do the job, so that there’s no question of US hegemony in the WestPac.