The US State Department's 2024 report on "Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments" has raised concerns about North Korea's alleged efforts to develop biological weapons using gene-editing technology like CRISPR, Ednews reports via sozcu.com.
The report highlights North Korea's utilization of gene-editing technologies and alleges cooperation with other nations for equipment and materials. Despite being a signatory to the Biological Weapons Convention, which prohibits the production and use of biological weapons, Pyongyang's activities are under scrutiny.
Previous reports, including the 2023 report from the US-based Council on International Relations (CFR), have also accused North Korea of possessing chemical and biological weapons.
The Biological Weapons Convention, signed in 1972, aims to prevent the development, production, and stockpiling of biological and toxic weapons, with 183 countries, including Turkey, being party to the treaty.