North Korean defector had anthrax antibodies in system, report says

Traces of anthrax antibodies were discovered in the system of a North Korean soldier who had defected to South Korea at some point in 2017, a local South Korean television station reported Tuesday.

The soldier’s name and exact date of defection were not disclosed. But the defector is said to have been exposed to or vaccinated for anthrax, a serious bacterial disease, UPI reported, citing Channel A. They reportedly became immune to the disease before defection.

“Anthrax antibodies have been found in the North Korean soldier who defected this year,” according an unnamed South Korean official speaking to Channel A.

The news comes amid earlier reports that North Korea was beginning tests to mount anthrax onto intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S.

The tests were to determine if anthrax could handle the intense heat and pressure it would experience on an ICBM.

“North Korea has started experiments such as heat and pressure equipment to prevent anthrax from dying even at a high temperature of over 7,000 degrees generated at the time of ICBM's re-entry into the atmosphere,” the Japanese newspaper Asahi reported, citing an unidentified person connected to South Korean intelligence services. “In part, there is unconfirmed information that it has already succeeded in such experiments.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-korean-defector-had-anthrax-antibodies-in-system-report-says/ar-BBHo8dq?li=BBnbcA1