Kicking and smuggling: North Korean taekwondo master accused of arms trafficking | NK News
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October 05, 2026Oct 05, 2026

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Kicking and smuggling: North Korean taekwondo master accused of arms trafficking

Ri Chol Nam may have brokered weapons and bulletproof vests on behalf of Pyongyang, says UN Panel of Experts report

A North Korean Taekwondo grandmaster may have engaged in illicit arms trafficking in Southeast Asia, according to an upcoming U.N. Panel of Experts report seen by NK News. 

Ri Chol Nam, a longtime resident of Cambodia, allegedly traded weapons and acquired and resold bulletproof vests on behalf of North Korea, the report states, along with diamonds and gold. 

The panel cites evidence provided by an unnamed member state, which also points to Ri using a fake South Korean passport to set up a front company — Pyongyang Unhasu Company Ltd. — to facilitate his illicit dealings.

Pyongyang Unhasu operated