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NK grounded AN2 planes due to lack of oil for training flight: source
SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Yonhap) -- Soaring oil prices have almost grounded hundreds of AN2 special warfare planes in North Korea capable of infiltrating deep into South Korea in case of war, military sources here said Sunday.
North Korea, suffering from a shortage of hard currency due to years of economic stagnation, imports most of its oil from China, some in cash, some on grants, and some from a few Middle Eastern countries.
The price of Dubai crude, South Korea's benchmark, reached US$82.6 a barrel Friday, triggering concerns of its negative impact on global economic growth as well as that of South Korea, which is 100 percent dependent on imports of oil. The price of Western Texas intermediate crude, meanwhile, broke a record US$90 barrier last week.
North Korea has gradually reduced the number of training sorties of about 300 AN2 planes in recent months due to oil shortage before almost grounding them recently, the sources said.
An AN2 is said to be able to fly at a low altitude at a speed of 250 kilometers per hour to avoid any radar system while carrying 1.5 tons of freight and up to 13 special warfare troops.
"We understand North Korea has stopped flying AN2s for a considerable time to funnel the oil for AN2s to other planes," one source said.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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