UN diplomats say parts that can be used in the production of ballistic missiles and are suspected of coming from North Korea were seized from a Chinese ship in South Korea this May.

The diplomats said Tuesday that the South Korean government confiscated 445 graphite cylinders from a Chinese-flagged ship bound for Syria during a stopover in the port city of Busan.

The UN diplomats said the seized missile parts are suspected to have been made in North Korea, indicating the possibility that North Korea may have violated UN Security Council resolutions and exported missile parts.