North Korea's bioweapons program, including 'poison pens', raises alarm
- In Reports
- 11:12 PM, Apr 18, 2024
- Myind Staff
US officials have warned that North Korea is advancing its biological weapon program by creating 'toxic pens' and sprays. According to US intelligence, Kim Jong Un-led country has been developing lethal bacteria and viruses to spread pandemics through bugs like anthrax and smallpox.
The US officials' warning was reported by UK-based The Times in an article titled "Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments".
North Korea has largely remained isolated from foreign scrutiny, with much of the focus on its extensive nuclear arsenal. However, this report highlights an exceptionally active biological weapons development programme within the country.
“The United States assesses that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has a dedicated, national-level offensive BW program. The DPRK has the capability to produce biological agents for military purposes." the report posted on US State Department's website said.
The report elaborates that North Korea possesses the technological know-how to manufacture bacteria, viruses, and toxins for potential use as biological weapons. It also discusses the possibility of using delivery methods such as sprays and poison pens in conjunction with these biological agents.
Pyongyang likely possesses the capability to weaponise biological agents using unconventional systems like sprayers and poison pen injection devices. Additionally, the report suggests that North Korea might have already deployed chemical weapons, which could potentially be employed to covertly deliver biological agents.
"The DPRK also has the capability to genetically engineer biological products with technologies such as CRISPR, which have been reported by its State Academy of Sciences and other sources," the report said.
The CRISPR mentioned in the report stands for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats. This technology is employed to selectively edit genes and is frequently utilised in the development of biological weapons.
Biological weapons are employed to release disease-causing organisms or toxins to harm and potentially kill humans, animals, and vegetation. Agents like anthrax can induce widespread illness, resulting in significant casualties on a large scale.
It is thought that North Korea has had Biological Weapons developing capability since the 1960s.
Image source: AFP
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