Sydney man charged with brokering North Korea missile sales
Chan Han Choi
The Australian Federal Police said  59-year-old naturalized Australian Chan Han Choi  used encrypted communication to broker sales and discuss the supply of weapons of mass destruction.  His  actions contravened both United Nations and Australian sanctions against North Korea  police said.
 Choi  is facing six charges related to brokering the sale of missile componentry and expertise from North Korea to other international entities  and attempting to transfer coal from North Korea to entities in Indonesia and Vietnam.
 Choi  didn't appear or apply for bail in a Sydney court Sunday  and bail was formally refused.
 Choi  is the first person charged under Australia's Weapons of Mass Destruction Act and could face a maximum 10-year prison sentence.
 Choi  was arrested Saturday and charged over two transactions that were unsuccessful. "But we estimate that if these trades were successful  we're talking tens of millions of dollars " Gaughan told reporters.
 He  said investigations were continuing and that more charges could be filed against  Choi .
"The AFP are saying  this man  was a loyal agent of North Korea  believing  he  was acting to serve some high patriotic purpose " Gaughan said.
Police started investigating  Choi  after a tip-off from another international agency on another matter   he  said.
"I know these charges sound alarming  but we are not suggesting that there are any weapons or missile componentry that came to Australian soil "  he  said. "We're alleging all of the activity occurred offshore."
 Choi 's activities also involved commodities including oil and gemstones.
"This is black market 101. It's the same with the coal and oil and gemstones â it's all about making money for North Korea "  he  said  adding the case was "like nothing we have ever seen on Australian soil."
"Any individual who attempts to fly in the face of sanctions cannot and will not go unnoticed in Australia "  he  said.
The Australian Federal Police said   [TGT] used encrypted communication to broker sales and discuss the supply of weapons of mass destruction.   [TGT]   actions contravened both United Nations and Australian sanctions against North Korea  police said.
  [TGT] is facing six charges related to brokering the sale of missile componentry and expertise from North Korea to other international entities  and attempting to transfer coal from North Korea to entities in Indonesia and Vietnam.
  [TGT] didn't appear or apply for bail in a Sydney court Sunday  and bail was formally refused.
  [TGT] is the first person charged under Australia's Weapons of Mass Destruction Act and could face a maximum 10-year prison sentence.
  [TGT] was arrested Saturday and charged over two transactions that were unsuccessful. "But we estimate that if these trades were successful  we're talking tens of millions of dollars " Gaughan told reporters.
  [TGT]   said investigations were continuing and that more charges could be filed against  [TGT]  .
"The AFP are saying  this man  was a loyal agent of North Korea  believing  he  was acting to serve some high patriotic purpose " Gaughan said.
Police started investigating   [TGT] after a tip-off from another international agency on another matter   he  said.
"I know these charges sound alarming  but we are not suggesting that there are any weapons or missile componentry that came to Australian soil "  he  said. "We're alleging all of the activity occurred offshore."
 Choi 's activities also involved commodities including oil and gemstones.
"This is black market 101. It's the same with the coal and oil and gemstones â it's all about making money for North Korea "  he  said  adding the case was "like nothing we have ever seen on Australian soil."
"Any individual who attempts to fly in the face of sanctions cannot and will not go unnoticed in Australia "  he  said.