Italy Foils Sale of $18M Yachts to Dear Leader

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 23, 2009 8:22 AM CDT

(Newser) – Italian authorities believe they have torpedoed Kim Jong-Il's hopes of acquiring a pair of new luxury yachts, the Financial Times reports. The sale of the $18 million yachts, which would have violated international sanctions, was blocked after investigators traced the contract to North Korea. Authorities say they have no proof the vessels were destined for the country's ailing leader, although the list of North Koreans able to afford multimillion dollar yachts is a very short one.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il claps while visiting Taedonggang Tile Factory, in North Korea. (AP Photo/KRT via APTN)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, wearing glasses, watches a soccer game between teams of the Korean People's Army. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service)

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Seeing the type of goods that were involved and the condition that the country is in, we were very suspicious that the yachts were for the leader, though we have no evidence of this. - A Guardia di Finanza spokesman

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 6 comments

Mr.C

Jul 23, 2009 6:53 AM CDT

http://www.ted.com/talks/thoma...

kokuaguy

Jul 23, 2009 6:16 AM CDT

The fact that the UN is powerless to deal with his ilk is the biggest reason that its basic charter needs reform. If the US had seriously engaged in establishment of an international criminnal court (and the establishment of a workable international law enforcement regime) it could deter stuff like the recent story about 200,000 political prisoners in Kim's so-called Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK.) Why can the Sudanese President be under indictment, and not the leaders of this evil regime?

laslow

Jul 23, 2009 5:17 AM CDT

That guy is a pile of shit.

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North Korea • Italy • sanctions • Kim Jong Il • yachts • international sanctions

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