Pyongyang operating regiment-level biochemical weapons unit

Seoul Feb 27 (IANS) The South Korean military on Monday said that Pyongyang is presumed to be operating a regiment-level biochemical weapons unit.

The Ministry of National Defence said North Korea is operating production facilities for chemical and biological weapons and has a stockpile of such materials that can be used in any attack Yonhap News Agency reported.

The military said it plans to bolster its detection capabilities against North Korea s possible biochemical provocation.

South Korea has also decided to raise its voice against North Korea s biochemical weapons when nuclear envoys from Seoul the US and Japan meet in Washington on Monday.

The decision comes in the wake of Kim Jong-nam the eldest son of late former leader Kim Jong-il death on February 13 at an airport in Kuala Lumpur after apparently being poisoned by two Asian women.

Malaysian police named eight North Koreans including a diplomat as suspects though Pyongyang denies its involvement.

Kim Jong-nam was killed with a VX nerve agent. VX is listed as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN and its use is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to which North Korea is not a signatory.

--IANS
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