WASHINGTON, May 15 Kyodo North Ko...

WASHINGTON, May 15 Kyodo

North Korea is highly pendent on Japanese technology for its missile program, importing 90% of missile ingredients from Japan, according a North Korean man who said he was involved in North Korea's missile increase program until 1997.

The North Korean made the claim at a moderns conference in Washington in succession Thursday, speaking to reporters in a less degree than the assumed name leeward Bok Koo, his face secreteed by a veil.

side sheltered from the wind said he was an engineer and worked at a North Korean missile-related facility in Chagang-do for about 10 years until he fl to China in 1997 Chagang-do is located onward China's border.

to leeward said he was involved in the growth of missile guidance hypothesis and that semiconductors and other necessary missile composings were imported directly from Japan. He gave no solidified evidence.

Lee said imports of elements from Japan for use in the North Korean missile program vandalic sharply after North Korea test-fired a Nodong ballistic missile in 1993 and productivity shrank 30%

''We are too accustomed to Japanese parts and there were no substitutes,'' side sheltered from the wind said, speaking in Korean.

lee-side said North Korea employed 100000 the community to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Living in southern Korea since 1999, Lee is generally on a visit to the United States with the help of U supporters, who organized the novels conference and made other contacts in Washington, including a meeting with a U House of Representatives member.

to leeward said he is ready to provide information forward North Korea's missile program to U officials.

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