The US made an apology to Spain for the capture

According to the New York Post (dated December 12th), the US has mobilized the secret intelligence satellite system, coded ‘White Cloud’ to observe on the Seosan Vessel since its departure from the Nampo Harbor. The ‘White Cloud’ is an arrangement of three types of satellites and it is capable of intercepting any electronic sound discharged from a vessel. Also, it is capable of transmitting the coordinates of the specific location of a vessel to the Navy Control Room in the US National Maritime Resource and Education Center.

Beside this satellite, the US Marines’ P-3 Orion Patroller has been dispatched to the actual sea location for the precise observation. The wireless communications of the Seosan Vessel has been wiretapped by the various patrolling locations, managed by the US National Security Agency. After requesting a research at the English Lloyd Maritime Information Center, it has been discovered that the Seosan Vessel, built in 1981, has changed the name of the vessel three times in last three years and more over, its country of the registry has been changed four times.

However, the US already knew the contents of the shipment of the Seosan Vessel even before the operation of the secret intelligence satellite as well as before the launch of the sea patrol. According to the December 11th’s Wall Street Journal, the US disclosed the story of Yemen sending millions and millions dollars to North Korea last month. On December 2nd, a week before the capture of the vessel by the Spanish, the Washington Times (conservative press) has reported the North Korean’s missile heading to Yemen. The high ranking official, who leaked this information to the newspaper, has also informed that there is a chemical substance, nitric acid, on the vessel along with the missile.

The problem arose when the conservative party in the US Administration has voiced that the ultimate destination of the missile might be Iraq (The Wall Street Journal). When Yemen denied this purchase of the missile, the US decided to investigate the truth on its own.

Yemen already has been found once by the US of its intention to buy the missiles from North Korea in the beginning of this year but has made a promise to the US that they won’t buy the missiles from North Korea, thus avoided the US’s economic sanctions against Yemen. On the 4th of this month, the US government unofficially reconfirm with the Yemen government regarding this purchase. However, Yemen government strongly denied it again and the US requested the Spanish to capture the vessel. On the 9th, after a day of chasing, the two vessels of the Spanish (Nabara Vessel and Patino Vessel) captured the Seosan Vessel, which protested the registry of the vessel to be Cambodia.

However, the situation changed dramatically when the Yemen government later admitted that the shipments on the vessel are the remains from the contract made with North Korea a few years ago. Considering the fact that Yemen is an important spot in the sweeping the Al Qaeda power and for the military strategy against Iraq, the US released this vessel on the 11th, two days after the capture.

Eun-Taek Hong euntack@donga.com