SoKorea won't inspect NoKorean cargo ships

This should significantly hamper efforts to keep undesirable materials out of NoKorea's hands.

South Korea's government formally confirmed it will not join a US-led initiative to inspect cargo to and from North Korea after its nuclear test, despite US pressure to take part.

Seoul and other nations must report to the United Nations by Monday on steps they are taking to comply with Security Council sanctions imposed following the test.

"The government has declared that it has a special status of officially supporting the goals and principles of the PSI (Proliferation Security Initiative), while not formally joining it in consideration of special circumstances on the Korean peninsula," said deputy foreign minister for arms control, Park In-Kok.

Ministers have said previously they fear triggering naval clashes with their communist neighbour if South Korea joins in cargo inspections authorised by the sanctions.

That said, its perfectly understandable that SoKorea doesn't want to piss off their northern neighbors anymore than necessary.

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