Seoul worried over arrest of North Korea plane in Bangkok

"If the government of that country confirms the presence of North Korean weapons aboard the plane, it is necessary to take measures in connection with this blatant violation of UN resolutions," Itar-Tass news agency quoted a representative of South Korea's Foreign Affairs who refused to be identified.

Meanwhile the South Korean Yonhap news agency quotes an unidentified official of the South Korean government, saying that actions by Thailand "clearly show North Korea that despite the recent direct talks with the US, the international community will not brook illegal actions by Pyongyang".

Thai authorities on Saturday impounded an IL-76 plane, No 4L-AWA, flying from Pyongyang, after it requested to land at Don Muang Airport for refuelling. They found and seized about 35 tonnes of war weapons, including land-to-air missiles, explosives, electronic-ray tubes and other ammunition.

They detained five crew members of the plane; four of Kazakhstan - Alexander Zrybnev, Viktor Abdullayev, Vitaly Shumkov and Ilyas Isakov as well as Mikhail Petukhov from Belarus.