The Hunt for "Kang Nam" ("Kang Nam" is Not a North Korean Word for "Red October")

“We will pass through the American patrols, past their sonar nets, and lay off their largest city, and listen to their rock and roll... while we conduct missile drills.” Captain Marko Aleksandrovich Ramius of the Soviet submarine “Red October” was quoted to smirk in the movie, “The Hunt for Red October”.

Alas, the real-life hunt for the North Korean ship, “Kang Nam” which is suspected of ferrying banned weapons cargo has proved to be equally, if not more, elusive. There is no information revealed yet about who the captain of “Kang Nam” is, but I have this wary feeling that he is gleefully grinning at the panic that his vessel has caused.

Two days ago, in the same news which had reported about how US preparing for the North Korea missile launch on Hawaii, it also was stated about how the US military was tracking a flagged North Korean ship, “Kang Nam” because of the suspicion of how she might have some forbidden weapons as her cargo.

The destination of the vessel, “Kang Nam” is not clear.

In the earlier news, Singapore is stated as the place she is heading to. (Singapore's Foreign Ministry boldly & firmly declared how “Singapore takes seriously the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and if the allegation is true, the ministry said Singapore will act appropriately”. Well done, and it might be a rare opportunity for Singapore navy to display its might.)

In another news—a more recent one—it’s claimed that Myanmar as the country the ship, “Kang Nam” is sailing to. “The Final Destination: Myanmar”; well, that has the bad omen if one is incorrigibly a cinephile.

On a serious note, why Myanmar is stated as Kang Nam’s possible, eventual destination?

Sure it was mentioned somewhere in the past about how the Kang Nam I cargo ship was docking at the port in Yangon, Myanmar, in 2007. Wait a minute, is she the same vessel with the current “Kang Nam”? Perhaps, it’s just a coincidence. Perhaps not.

Anyway, one of the news has even introduced a more sinister touch. It is said that the North Korean ship, “Kang Nam” was shadowed by a US Navy destroyer, “USS John McCain”. It is also reported that the US Navy ship is positioning itself in case it gets orders to intercept.

Logically speaking, though the North Korea would as expected would consider interception an “act of war” and thus, to “act accordingly”. Such a vague threat, or a warning—some might point out.

But what else can the US do? To let the suspected ship to carry on her voyage with such a suspected cargo?!

It will be a big blow for the US intelligence, if it is proven later that “Kang Nam” is carrying none of the banned weapons (whatever they are: missiles or related parts?). After all “Kang Nam” was said to be once detained in Hong Kong in 2006, but then the ship was found to be carrying no cargo.

Which leaves us another question: why can’t North Korea be upfront and clarify once and for all, that “Kang Nam” has ferried harmless cargoes?!


REFERENCES:
- Google News, “US prepares for N.Korea missile launch on Hawaii”
- Channel NewsAsia, “Media reports say North Korean ship heading for Singapore”
- Straits Times, “Bound for Myanmar?”
- The New York Times, “U.S. Destroyer Shadows N. Korean Ship”
- Wikipedia, “The Hunt for Red October”