It then passed through a series of owners to a South Korean maritime firm, which in turn sold it to North Korea.

A South Korean intelligence report fed speculation that the ship was destined for Myanmar (Burma) via Singapore with a cargo of weapons banned by the United Nations Security Council, which permits North Korean ships to be searched if suspected of carrying illegal cargo under Resolution 1874.

[8] While the ship traveled back toward North Korea, several regional news agencies published more information about it and its possible mission.

South Korean intelligence sources reported that the freighter was likely carrying North Korean-manufactured Soviet-era small arms such as AK-47 rifles and RPG-7 anti-tank launchers.

[9][10] An unnamed South Korean government source told the Yonhap News Agency that payment for the weapons from Myanmar's government were to take place via an unnamed bank in Malaysia, but had probably been stopped after a U.S. envoy visited Malaysia on 6 July to discuss the situation.