Panama said on Wednesday it had called in the United Nations Security Council to investigate a North Korean ship caught smuggling arms from Cuba, piling more pressure on Pyongyang for a possible breach of UN sanctions.
Panamanian security minister Jose Raul Mulino said his government had asked the United Nations to advise on the case and that Panama aimed to hand over the ship, the Chong Chon Gang, and its contents to UN representatives.
Panam stopped the ship last week and seized the cargo after a stand-off with the North Korean crew in which the captain tried to slit his own throat. Authorities discovered missile equipment and arms on board that Cuba said were "obsolete" Soviet-era weapons being sent to North Korea for repair.
The North Korean government urged Panama to release the ship and its 35-strong crew, who were detained for questioning.
The United Nations has imposed various sanctions on Pyongyang, including strict regulations on arms shipments, for flouting measures aimed at curbing its nuclear weapons program.
