By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 8 February, 2017:
North Korea says it would like to upgrade Libya’s military.
The surprise offer came in a rare meeting in Tripoli today between the defence minister, Mahdi Al-Barghathi, and North Korean ambassador Zu Jin Hyok. Hyok revealed Pyongyang also wanted to continue again with projects that had been put on hold with the revolution..
According to a Presidency Council statement, the talks focussed on cooperation in technology, communications and the military. They also covered a number of regional and international issues of concern to both sides.
Under the Qaddafi regime, North Korea had a good working relationship with Libya, notably sending doctors, nurses and other medical staff to the country. With the revolution, however, the relationship was frozen – although the medics stayed on until recently. One of them and his wife were kidnapped by the so-called Islamic State and held in Sirte for 16 months before being released last September. The departure of North Korean doctors from Ghat hospital a year ago almost closed it. They were among the last medical staff working there.
Pyongyang’s offer is extremely unlikely to be taken up. Any attempt by the PC to collaborate militarily with a North Korea busy threatening Washington and Seoul with nuclear devastation would result in it facing rapid international rejection.
