A U.S. senator called for the forcible search of a North Korean vessel that is suspected of carrying illicit weapons.

Senator John McCain appearing on a CBS program on Sunday said the U.S. military should board the North Korean ship it is tracking if hard evidence shows it is carrying missiles or other cargo that violates UN Resolution 1874. He said if the vessel is indeed carrying such cargo it would contribute to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to countries that pose a direct threat to the United States.

The UN resolution does not allow the forcible inspection of cargo ships to and from North Korea that are suspected of carrying weaponry and this is the first time a U.S. congressman has called for the inspection of a North Korean ship by the U.S. military.