Anti-proliferation group only symbolic without China

By Paul Eckert, Asia Correspondent - Analysis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Korea's decision to join the Proliferation Security Initiative closed a key hole in that alliance of states working to stop shipments of weapons of mass destruction, but the U.S.-led program cannot stop North Korean traffic in illicit arms without China's cooperation.

Following North Korea's nuclear test on Monday, Seoul announced it was joining the ad hoc alliance. Pyongyang promptly threatened to attack the South if it were to search North Korean vessels under the program.

Analysts said the PSI, launched in 2003 under the Bush administration to stop suspect ships and planes in an effort to curb the spread of nuclear technology and other weapons, has some key gaps and shortcomings.

Right now, a glaring weakness is that China is not part of the 95-nation grouping.

"China's lack of participation is noticeable because a lot of North Korean proliferation activities are going through China, either wittingly or unwittingly," said Bruce Klingner, a Korea expert at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

Even with South Korea now on board, China has shown little stomach for enforcing previous U.N. sanctions against North Korea and Chinese entities often evade what curbs Beijing has tried to impose on sales of banned goods, analysts say.

"As much as Beijing wants to enforce some of these things, at every level, you're only as strong as your weakest link," said analyst John Park of the U.S. Institute of Peace.

A key target of an effective PSI would have to be flights over Chinese airspace to North Korea from Iran and other Middle Eastern states, as well as Pakistan.