North Korean Drug Trafficking: Allegations and Issues for Congress (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Sept. 14, 1999 |
| Report Number |
RS20051 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Raphael F. Perl, Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
At least 34 documented incidents, many involving arrest or detention of North Korean diplomats,
link North Korea to drug trafficking. Such events, in the context of ongoing, credible, but unproven,
allegations of large scale state sponsorship of drug production and trafficking, raise important issues
for the Congress, the Administration, and America's allies in combating international drug
trafficking. The challenge to policy makers, is how to pursue an effective counter drug policy and
comply with U.S. law which may require cutting off aid to North Korea while pursuing other high
priority U.S. foreign policy objectives including: (1) limiting possession and production of weapons
of mass destruction; (2) limiting ballistic missile production and export; (3) curbing terrorism,
counterfeiting and international crime, and (4) addressing humanitarian needs.
U.S. aid to North Korea is currently limited to providing food and other humanitarian assistance
together with heavy fuel oil shipments under a 1994 U.S.-North Korea agreement. Reports that North
Korea may be limiting some of its food crop production in favor of drug crop production are
particularly disturbing, though the acreage in question is comparatively small. Another issue of
rising concern is the degree to which profits from any North Korean drug trafficking, counterfeiting,
and other crime-for-profit enterprises may be used to directly underwrite or free funds from
elsewhere to underwrite the costs of maintaining or expanding North Korean nuclear programs.
This report will be updated if warranted by new developments.
