A 59-year-old South Korean man in Eastwood, Sydney was arrested and charged for being a broker and economic agent for the North Korean regime. 

Chan Han Choi was allegedly providing goods and services to a “weapons of mass destruction program” and attempted to arrange the sale of North Korean missile parts and technology to overseas parties. 

The Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan said Choi was raising funds for the North Korean regime. 

“As a result of extensive investigations, the AFP alleged the man was acting as an economic agent of North Korea through his facilitation of various exports from North Korea,” a statement from AFP said. “The AFP believes the man was generating income for the North Korean government.”

Choi was charged with six offences, including two under Australia’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995 and others relating to the breaches of United Nations and Australian sanctions. 

He was refused bail by Parramatta Bail Court. 

“This case is like nothing we have ever seen on Australian soil. This is the first time charges have been laid under the Commonwealth Weapons of Mass Destruction Act in Australia, and the first time we have laid charges specifically for alleged breaches of UN sanctions against North Korea,” Assistant Commissioner Gaughan said. 

Choi is from South Korea and have been living in Australia for the past 30 years. He possesses an Australian citizenship. 

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said that his activities associated with North Korea go back as far as 2008. 

They also found that Choi had been in contact with high-ranking officials in North Korea, to fulfill his role as an economic agent.

In addition to the nuclear parts and technology, Choi is also accused of brokering sale of North Korean coal to parties in Vietnam and Indonesia.