Chan Han Choi accused of breaching sanctions by trying to help Pyongyang export iron and buy petrol

A Sydney man accused of brokering missile and coal deals for North Korea has been charged with trying to help export iron from the country.

Chan Han Choi, 59, faces two new charges of contravening sanctions laws on top of six existing offences, including that he tried to broker a deal that would help a weapons of mass destruction program.

Choi bowed deeply to magistrate Megan Greenwood and listened to proceedings through an interpreter when he appeared via video link in Sydney’s central local court on Wednesday.

The Eastwood man is accused of brokering a service for the sale of crude iron from North Korea to entities in South Korea and of breaching UN sanctions by trying to help Pyongyang buy petrol.

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His pre-existing charges – related to breaches of Australian and UN sanctions – include allegations he tried to get missiles and measurement devices used in control drones into North Korea and coal out to Vietnam and Indonesia.

Choi fired his Legal Aid lawyer days before his case’s most recent mention on 15 August, court documents show. On Wednesday, the court was told the accused was yet to get a new lawyer.

Greenwood gave him three weeks but stressed there would be no further delay.

The matter needed to move forward “whether or not” he was represented at the next date, the magistrate said.

Choi is expected to appear via video link at the same court on 26 September.