Myanmar could develop nukes with N. Korea's help: expert

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- Myanmar has not yet developed the technology for nuclear weapons, but has a chance of succeeding with help from North Korea, a scholar said Monday.

Speaking to a seminar at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Robert Kelly, a nuclear engineer, said Myanmar has several factories capable of enriching uranium that were built with German technology.

"When the Germans are inspecting, the factories appear to be civilian," said Kelly, a fellow at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). "But when they are gone, the same machine tools are being used by military personnel to make equipment for missiles and the nuclear fuel cycle."

Citing testimony from several defectors from Myanmar (Burma), some of whom have worked at the factories, and satellite photos, Kelly said that the Southeast Asian nation has made "efforts to develop gas centrifuges."

He dismissed as "poor, especially for high-tech activities such as missile and nuclear facilities" the quality of workmanship at the Myanmar factories, but did not preclude the chance of Myanmar succeeding.

"All experts judge that many of these efforts will be unsuccessful and beyond Burma's reach," he said. "So the program is not an immediate military threat, unless there are big changes.

These would include support from another country such as DPRK and a shift to more useful technologies such as gas centrifuges. And Burma has a chance of eventually succeeding, still probably only with outside help."

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

U.S. officials have repeatedly warned of possible nuclear proliferation to Myanmar from North Korea.

In June last year, a North Korean cargo ship, possibly on its way to Myanmar, returned home after being closely tracked by U.S.

Navy vessels.

North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun visited Yangon, Myanmar, in July, prompting the U.S. to issue a statement calling on Myanmar to abide by an arms embargo and other U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea for its nuclear and missile tests in 2009.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also expressed concerns in July about North Korea's alleged proliferation of nuclear technology to Myanmar.

"I've also shared with the minister our concerns about the exporting by North Korea of military materiel and equipment to Burma," Clinton said at the time. "We know that a ship from North Korea recently delivered military equipment to Burma and we continue to be concerned by the reports that Burma may be seeking assistance from North Korea with regard to a nuclear program."