Where is that lens from?

I’ve always considered Germany the center of optics expertise, with Asia challenging at the lower cost end of the market. Japan, China and South Korea all have lens manufacturers, but North Korea?

It was this note on Navitar’s home page that had me scratching my head:

“Navitar is confident that our various suppliers located in and near North Korea will provide us adequate insurance in the event that a war breaks out.”

Fortunately the tension seems to have been dialed-back since that was posted in mid-April, but it still made me think: so Navitar get optical components from North Korea? Buy a Navitar lens and you’re enriching Kim Jong-un? I doubt that’s the case, but the simple statement on the Navitar website cries out for more explanation.