London (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Kim Jong-il’s regime paid more than US$3 million in “bribes to senior Pakistani military officials in return for nuclear secrets,” the Washington Post said in an article citing documents released by the “father” of Pakistan’s weapons programme, Abdul Qadir Kahn.
Khan passed a copy of a letter a North Korean official sent to him in 1998, which says that “3 millions [sic] dollars have already been paid” to one Pakistani military official and “half a million dollars” and some jewellery to another official.
The letter was purportedly signed by North Korean Workers' Party Secretary Jon Byong Ho.
The Pakistani scientist allegedly supplied North Korea with components and plans for centrifuges used to build a nuclear bomb.
The Pakistani government said that Khan acted on his own in providing North Korea with nuclear secrets.
The Post cited Western intelligence officials as saying they believed the letter to be accurate, but added that Pakistani officials have denied Khan's claims, arguing that the letter is a forgery.
Khan admitted in 2004 that he passed atomic secrets to North Korea, Iran and Libya.
On 6 February 2009, the High Court in Islamabad freed him from house arrest, but 74-year-old man is ill and under constant watch by soldiers and police, for fear that he might be abducted.
Pyongyang paid “US$ 3 million” for nuclear secrets
Abdul Qadir Kahn, father of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme, makes the allegation, saying he served as a go-between. Islamabad denies it but some Western analysts believe it to be true. Official documents backing the claim are said to exist.
