North Korea 'aids Syria’s chemical weapons manufacturing'

North Korea has been sending equipment to Syria that could be used in chemical weapons manufacturing, US media report, citing findings by UN experts. The technical aid from Pyongyang, which began more than a decade ago, included three visits by North Korean weapons experts in 2016, as well as 40 previously unknown shipments of specialized materials and equipment used in building chemical manufacturing plants, according to a draft of the UN report seen by The Washington Post. According to findings, the supplies from North Korea include acid-resistant tiles, valves, and thermometers. The draft of the report further claims that the possible chemical weapons components were parts of at least 40 previously unreported shipments by North Korea to Syria between 2012 and 2017 of prohibited ballistic missile parts and materials that could be used for both military and civilian purposes. North Korea is under international sanctions over its nuclear programme.