http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee 334 Journal of the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies Núm. 10 / 2017 Countries that have received North Korean missiles include Iran, Pakistan, Libya, and Yemen, with Egypt also suspected of being on the list. It is important to note that Iran is believed to have received assistance from North Korea to secure its own missile production capacity, which would allow it to enter the missile export market; in fact, it is estimated that the capacities of Iran and Pakistan in this area are highly dependent on North Korean technology and equipment87. The biggest danger is that, as its population finds itself in dire economic straits, the DPRK would decide to sell nuclear-headed missiles in order to sustain its survival and maintain political control. Moreover, since the United Nations Security Council has prohibited its Member States from trading weapons with North Korea88, the regime may be driven to seek new buyers, such as non-state actors and terrorist organizations. In this regard, it is well known that groups such as Hezbollah and the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers have bought arms from North Korea in the past89.In fact, on 15 July 2013, the Panamanian authorities seized a North Korean vessel travelling in the direction of Cuba transporting small arms, rockets and artillery ammunition 90. Another no less important scenario is that a hypothetical collapse of the country due to foreign intervention or the outbreak of a war could be catastrophic, because it could lead to a situation whereby the authorities might lose control of the nuclear weapons or the installations where their technology is developed91. Finally, North Korea’s withdrawal from the NPT is considered an unprecedented event in its history and that of treaty law in general. This move could weaken the scope of the NPT by opening the door to other States that may be tempted to emulate it, which would pose a real threat to the consolidation of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. 87 See LARA FERNANDEZ, Belén, “Cooperación internacional en la lucha contra el terrorismo nuclear y riesgos de los “Estados fallidos” y de las redes de tráfico ilegal en relación con este terrorismo”, in MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (ed.), Las armas NBQ-R como armas de terror, CESEDEN Monographs n° 120, Ministry of Defence, Madrid, 2011, pp. 210-220. 88 As we have already seen, in 2006 the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolutions 1695 and 1718 for all countries to refrain from acquiring missile materials and technologies from North Korea; and in June 2009 it adopted Resolution 1874, tightening sanctions on the North Korean regime and prohibiting the purchase of any type of weaponry from the country, imposing sanctions on anyone who did so. 89 INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP, “North Korea under Tightening Sanctions”, Asia Briefing nº 101, March 15, 2010, on www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/north-east-asia/north-korea/B101- north-korea-under-tightening-sanctions.aspx (consulted on April 30, 2014). 90 BBC News item, “Lo que se sabe del barco norcoreano retenido en Panamá”, published on July16, 2013, on www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2013/07/130716_panama_corea_norte_armas_cuba_buque_ jp (consulted on September 15, 2015). 91 LARA FERNÁNDEZ, Belén, op.cit., pp. 235-237.
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