The Indian Coast Guard seized the North Korean cargo ship Ku-Wol San during June and found it to be loaded with hardware for use in building surface-to-surface missiles. The ship's cargo manifest listed the missile equipment as "spare parts for a water treatment plant". The shipment was consigned to a company in Malta that in fact does not exist.--Stephen V Cole

September 7; North Korea warned that it will take strong action if South Korean ships cross new new west coast marine boundary. This is odd, as the new North Korean line puts several South Korean islands on the North Korean side of the line. One of these islands, Yonpyong, contains 3,000 people (about half civilian fishermen and farmers) and is a base for the South Korean navy.

September 4; Kazakhstan has declared that the sale of 34 MiG-21 fighters to North Korea was done without government permission and has demanded that North Korea send the planes back.--Stephen V Cole

September 2; North Korea declared that it would no longer recognize the 46 year old sea boundaries between north and south Korea, especially those off the rich west coast fishing grounds. North Korea has moved the line they accept some 20 kilometers south. This covers five small islands .that South Korea has long claimed. South Korea replied that it would maintain the old frontiers with force, if need be. After a small North Korean warship was sunk, and several damaged last June, North Korea dismissed the commander of their navy.