Namibia also confirmed that North Korea is in the process of finalizing contracts for construction of the country's first military academy, military barracks and a new headquarters for the Ministry of Defense (MoD).
North Korea in the recent past has carried out a hydrogen bomb test and repeatedly test-fired missiles. North Korea’s move has been opposed by US, South Korea and now Japan and China have vowed to work together in stopping North Korea nuclear missile tests that escalate tensions and violate international obligations.
The confirmation of North Korea construction of arms and ammunition factory in Namibia came a week after the government refuted the recent United Nations Panel of Experts (PoE) which found out that North Korea continued violation of UN Security laws.
North Korea has violated UN Security Council sanctions imposed to protest its nuclear weapons program and by extension providing military weapons, training and embarking on military-related construction projects in African countries, including Namibia and Uganda.
According to Namibian Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, North Korea through a state owned firm (Mansudae Overseas Projects) indeed built a small arms and ammunition factory in Namibia’s capital Windhoek.
The construction was done by a subsidiary; Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID) and completed in 2005 though KOMID continued doing Business with Windhoek until early last year (2016).
US Treasury describes KOMID as North Korea's primary arms dealer, especially in manufacturing goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles as well as conventional weapons.
However, Ndaitwah said Pyongyang and Windhoek have many years of military cooperation which dates back to the struggle for independence.
Last year (2015), the UN Panel of Experts (PoE) accused North Korea of providing small arms to Uganda, a move deemed a violation of UN Security Council sanctions.
