# N Korean Nukes are from Pakistan and not China ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korean-nukes-are-from-pakistan-and-not-china/132801>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 18, 2002, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korean-nukes-are-from-pakistan-and-not-china/132801 "2002-10-18T10:53:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![andy\_fl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@andy\_fl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andy_fl)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korean-nukes-are-from-pakistan-and-not-china/132801/1 "2002-10-18T10:53:00Z")

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It seems that N Korea is more friendly with [China](http://asia.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/10/17/china.korea/) .

So I assumed that N Korean nukes must have originated from China. But I heard on NPR today that N Korean Nukes are from Pakistan. [Here is the story on NY times](http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1033849113874)

But Pakistan itself got its Nukes from [China](http://cns.miis.edu/research/india/china/npakpos.htm)

So why is Pakistan, the broker between China and N Korea ? Is this just a bluff to keep China to be identified as the “Axis of Evil supporter” ?

How does this effect  
[U.S. Aid to Pakistan](http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/south/08/23/pakistan.debt/index.html) and [U.S. Military Support to Pakistan](http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20020927-0828-pakistan-us-defense.html).

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korean-nukes-are-from-pakistan-and-not-china/132801/2 "2002-10-18T11:09:06Z")

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Nothing in the link says North Korea got nuclear materials or warheads from Pakisan. They apparently got industrial equipment used in the manufacture of nuclear materials. And Pakistan got North Korean missiles, for convenient delivery.

Sounds like a straightforward business deal to me, even if in violation of international law.

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**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korean-nukes-are-from-pakistan-and-not-china/132801/3 "2002-10-18T14:21:31Z")

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N Korea has been marginalized by China for at least a decade. International trade does wonders, and South Korea are big investors in China. Heck even the Chinese think that N. Korea is run by a loose cannon that’s a few grains short of a bowl of rice.