Kim Jong Un says DPRK to suspend nuclear and missile tests

[Cybernetics]

This may also speed up regional electric grid development. Although China has drafted plans to build underwater grid to South Korea (then to Japan), a land grid across North Korea to South Korea would be a much more feasible (and quick) solution to the difference between renewable energy generation and energy consumption capacities in our region.

I'm sure it would. Both could be built to ensure a robust system and to reduce regional price/supply differences. At initial phases in industrialisation, North Korea would require abundant cheap energy that would be supplied by a central power plant (most likely burning coal). To offset some of the pollution and production inefficiencies, it would make sense to buy some of the energy from ultra critical coal power plants and renewables from China. Energy supply is critical to a fast and smooth industrialisation.

A pan-Eurasia energy grid would enable economies of scale and exploit regional specialisation for energy production, whether its renewable or non-renewable. Large swaths of desert and highlands could be transformed to produce renewable energy for a broad market even when its home market doesn't require such scale. Efficiency of transmitting would be especially vital across large distances with no demand to low demand regions,. Currently Chinese scientists are working on high temperature superconducting transmission lines and have working scale prototypes.

In a potential opening up of North Korean market, China needs to make sure that it remain in the forefront of it in terms of not only goods (finished goods and infrastructure build-up, but also services, including entertainment, literature, education, and finance.

You are right, full spectrum. Goods are just one contact point.

 

[TaiShang]

China welcomes DPRK's decision to discontinue nuclear, ICBM tests

Source: Xinhua Published: 2018/4/21

China on Saturday welcomed the decision made by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to discontinue nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks in a statement.

The decision was announced by DPRK leader Kim Jong Un at the Third Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Friday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The DPRK will discontinue nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic rocket test-fire from April 21, the KCNA said.

The northern nuclear test ground of the DPRK will be dismantled to transparently guarantee the discontinuance of nuclear tests, it added.

The KCNA quoted Kim as saying that the mission to build a nuclear force has been completed and now the strategic route for the WPK is to concentrate on economic construction.

China believes that the decision made by the DPRK will help ease the situation and promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as a political settlement of the peninsula issue, said Lu.

A nuclear-free peninsula and lasting peace in the region are in line with the common interests of the people on the peninsula and in the region, he said, adding they are also the common expectation of the international community.

"We hope that the DPRK will continue to achieve results in its economic development and improvement of people's living standards," said Lu.

He said China supports the DPRK and the parties concerned to resolve their respective concerns through dialogue and consultation, so as to improve their relations.

It is hoped that all parties concerned will meet each other halfway,take concrete actions and make due efforts to achieve lasting peace and common development in the region, said Lu.

"China will continue to play an active role in this regard," he said.

 

[gambit]

Now NK has tested enough and can resume at any time when Americans are acting up.

I take it you speak from extensive personal experience in manufacturing? Not...

If you do have any experience in manufacturing, you would know that the longer the line is idle, the more difficult the restart as time goes by. Technology changes. Suppliers leave the market. People quit/retire/die. Etc...Etc...

 

[Jlaw]

excellent move, forced US back to the negotiation table and showing its willingness by making these concessions Trump will have to embrace it. In return US will have to provide some incentives like lifting some sanctions and less provocative military drills with SK for peaceful development amid turbulent chaotic threats we have seen the past couple of months. Just brilliant , now if a decision of denuclearization can be worked out US no longer has any excuse for putting THAAD

THAAD is not for NK. THAAD will still be in SK. China was too quick to lift Lotte suspension

 

[cleverrider]

I take it you speak from extensive personal experience in manufacturing? Not...

If you do have any experience in manufacturing, you would know that the longer the line is idle, the more difficult the restart as time goes by. Technology changes. Suppliers leave the market. People quit/retire/die. Etc...Etc...

Accept it that NK played the game well, quit being a typical "yankee".

 

[Safriz]

Well played kim.
He is only suspending Nuclear and missile teats as they already have enough data on nukes and already built ICBM.

 

[sur]

I take it you speak from extensive personal experience in manufacturing? Not...

If you do have any experience in manufacturing, you would know that the longer the line is idle, the more difficult the restart as time goes by. Technology changes. Suppliers leave the market. People quit/retire/die. Etc...Etc...

zero experience. but news didn't say Mr.Jong will hit the red button on production line. just won't do "tests". No...?

 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

North Korea doesn't need to conduct further nuclear tests because:

• 1. The DPRK's H-bomb development is already completed and totally successful.
• 2. The former test site is history and might simply no longer be used even if the DPRK wanted to (possibly due to unconfirmed physical damages).
• 3. The only one to come if any, would be a live atmospheric demonstration over the Pacific (but no longer an option after the recent warming of China-DPRK relation).

By closing the nuclear test site is not a sign of weakness.

Further developments WILL be conducted in the field of dual-use technologies, such as:
• 1. Reentry vehicles, in the form of the civilian recoverable capsule and later, a manned spacecraft.
• 2. Also, no ICBM will be tested, but the Unha-9 heavy space launcher will be launched as soon as October this year with a GEO satellite!

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...0/?temp_hash=8a03760fd66d3ae1124f7f0c462b6f61
http://ipic.su/img/img7/fs/multi_photo_2017-08-08_dn32972_image1closeupL.1502255863.jpg

▲ North Korean orbital recoverable capsule for manned space program, full flight sequence schematics

Spoiler: Links

https://i.imgur.com/D5SMkXv.jpg
http://

▲ North Korean Unha launchers family

 

[somsak]

Those scientists are about to lose their jobs? I guess it's good time for any country wishing to have these tech to go to NK to do recruitment?

 

[somsak]

Those scientists are about to lose their jobs? I guess it's good time for any country wishing to have these tech to go to NK to do recruitment?

 

[gambit]

zero experience. but news didn't say Mr.Jong will hit the red button on production line. just won't do "tests". No...?

Then I will enlighten you and others on why, assuming that NKR will stop, this is great news for US in particular and for the world in general.

A car is not a missile. Shocking, ain't it?

When you build a car you expect constant usage of your product. As the car ages and finally die, the customer returns to you, not to buy the same car, but a better version of it. Consumption always encourages improvements and when there is competition, improvements increases in quantity, quality, and speed.

Not so with the missile.

A missile is a one-time and one-way use product, meaning it is discarded with the first and only use. You have one customer. Sure, you can sell to other countries, but it is an allowance, not a freedom, meaning your one customer -- the government -- decides whether you can have other customers or not, so essentially, you have only one customer.

If the product is seldom in use, there are not much data available for evolution of the product. Worse if the product usage is a discard every time it is used. If the car breaks, the manufacturer can examine the car and see where the flaws are. You cannot do that with a missile. That means you have to make the best of the current technology to make your missile as high a quality as possible regardless of the quantity involved. Once the design is technologically fixed and in production, there is little room for improvements, except in the lab, of course, and even so, it is mostly theoretical in scope. So until the customer had to discard the product in peace or in war, there is little for you to do.

When a missile is used for testing, it is no different than in use for war. The end is still the same -- complete discard of the product. So when you are compelled to stop development, you have not make full exploit of the technology you have at your disposal. You have not verify your adaptation of the theories. Your competitors in other countries may have but that is meaningless to you because they will not help you. They have their own restricted customers to deal with.

Do you understand now?

 

[Oldman1]

I also think so.

I believe China's diplomacy has worked. That was a decision made during the Xi-Kim meeting.

Now, the DPRK can begin economic opening up and development, having secured credible nuclear deterrence.

Doesn't that violate North Korea's aims to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula?

 

[TaiShang]

Doesn't that violate North Korea's aims to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula?

I guess their aim is to denuclearize North America.

 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Those scientists are about to lose their jobs? I guess it's good time for any country wishing to have these tech to go to NK to do recruitment?

On the contrary, there is already a steady increase in the North Korean space development, and accordingly NADA is hiring more scientists.
In this context of new space race with the south, the aim to send a man into space within 3 years is only a start.
As the strategic line of simultaneously developing the two fronts were successfully carried out, the expected economic growth, making the DPRK the next economic Tiger of Asia, will allow an increase in R&D spending.
Indeed, there is absolutely no known boundary to the most ambitious DPRK space program, that expands well into the next three decades!

Current North Korean Space Activities

The current Five-Years development plan covers space activities for 2012 to 2016. (Choson Sinbo, 12 December 2012)

The Second Space Development Five-Year Plan starting in 2017, will see more advanced space developments. In April 8, 2012, the general manager of Sohae SLC declared that North Korea "will launch a geostationary satellite in the near future", and that North Korea "will launch manned spacecrafts". To this end, Sohae was also designed to support very large 400t-class rockets. (Choson Sinbo, April 10, 2012 Press Release )

North Korean launch schedule

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...3/?temp_hash=88c8d1506d469c8ab8299a4e3c92ff09
http://
http://

▲ Korean manned launch vehicles

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...4/?temp_hash=88c8d1506d469c8ab8299a4e3c92ff09
http://
http://

▲ NADA launch schedule
http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=101028

Disclaimer: Very speculative unofficial updates added after 2012.


North Korea's First Astronaut Selection

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...5/?temp_hash=88c8d1506d469c8ab8299a4e3c92ff09
http://
http://
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxBj71x2wtE

▲ At T=40:02 a North Korean astronaut inside a spacecraft called Milaeho (미래호, 未來號: future, pending), from a New Year 2018 show. Video published on Jan 1, 2018

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...6/?temp_hash=a780e71292e56a4288a3770f04ca8e46
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4639/38564306055_85e094d810_b.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dprktoday/38564306055/

▲ 10 North Korean astronauts as depicted in a New Year 2018 show

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...7/?temp_hash=a780e71292e56a4288a3770f04ca8e46
http://
http://
Iran summary of past satellite & space launches ایران گذشته از پرتاب ماهواره ها به فضا
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnTao3GSfUA

▲ CGI of Iranian asronaut by 2020 in a IRIBNEWS TV footage.
Notice the many similarities with the North Korean spacesuit: from the head part, torso, flag location and size, etc. Video published on Feb 10, 2018

Commentary

Both Iran and North Korea have disclosed their intention to send a man into space by 2021.
As stated by Iran, 10 pilots have already been pre-selected by 2017, and two of them will be the final asronauts.
Taking into account that two years in average are required to train an astronaut, the selection process for North Korea should have started, as hinted by the 2018 New Year show.
In addition the 10 astronauts of the show corroborates the number of 10 Iranian pilots. Therefore one should assume that North Korea is also currently training 10 pilots.

See also

• [China's best pupil: Part1] North Korea to reenact the DF-5 ICBM first ever full range test flight

• [China's best pupil: Part2] North Korea's Underground Great Wall

• [China's best pupil: Part3] North Korea's Indigenous Fighter Aircraft

• [China's best pupil: Part4] Korea's First Manned Propelled Flying Vehicle

• [China's best pupil: Part5] North Korea's Rare Earth Reserves

• [China's best pupil: Part6] North Korea's Crude Oil Reserves

• [China's best pupil: Part7] North Korea's Recoverable Capsule

• [China's best pupil: Part8] North Korea's Manned Spacecraft

• [China's best pupil: Part9] North Korea's Unha-9 Space Launcher

• [China's best pupil: Part10] North Korea's Unha-18 Manned Space Launcher

• [China's best pupil: Part11] North Korea's Reusable Space Launcher

 

[TaiShang]

On the contrary, there is already a steady increase in the North Korean space development, and accordingly NADA is hiring more scientists.
In this context of new space race with the south, the aim to send a man into space within 3 years is only a start.
As the strategic line of simultaneously developing the two fronts were successfully carried out, the expected economic growth, making the DPRK the next economic Tiger of Asia, will allow an increase in R&D spending.
Indeed, there is absolutely no known boundary to the most ambitious DPRK space program, that expands well into the next three decades!

Current North Korean Space Activities

The current Five-Years development plan covers space activities for 2012 to 2016. (Choson Sinbo, 12 December 2012)

The Second Space Development Five-Year Plan starting in 2017, will see more advanced space developments. In April 8, 2012, the general manager of Sohae SLC declared that North Korea "will launch a geostationary satellite in the near future", and that North Korea "will launch manned spacecrafts". To this end, Sohae was also designed to support very large 400t-class rockets. (Choson Sinbo, April 10, 2012 Press Release )

North Korean launch schedule

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...3/?temp_hash=88c8d1506d469c8ab8299a4e3c92ff09

▲ Korean manned launch vehicles

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...4/?temp_hash=88c8d1506d469c8ab8299a4e3c92ff09

▲ NADA launch schedule
http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=101028

Disclaimer: Very speculative unofficial updates added after 2012.


North Korea's First Astronaut Selection

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...5/?temp_hash=88c8d1506d469c8ab8299a4e3c92ff09
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxBj71x2wtE

▲ At T=40:02 a North Korean astronaut inside a spacecraft called Milaeho (미래호, 未來號: future, pending), from a New Year 2018 show. Video published on Jan 1, 2018

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...6/?temp_hash=a780e71292e56a4288a3770f04ca8e46
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4639/38564306055_85e094d810_b.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dprktoday/38564306055/

▲ 10 North Korean astronauts as depicted in a New Year 2018 show

Spoiler: Links

https://defence.pk/pdf/attachments/...7/?temp_hash=a780e71292e56a4288a3770f04ca8e46
Iran summary of past satellite & space launches ایران گذشته از پرتاب ماهواره ها به فضا
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnTao3GSfUA

▲ CGI of Iranian asronaut by 2020 in a IRIBNEWS TV footage.
Notice the many similarities with the North Korean spacesuit: from the head part, torso, flag location and size, etc. Video published on Feb 10, 2018

Commentary

Both Iran and North Korea have disclosed their intention to send a man into space by 2021.
As stated by Iran, 10 pilots have already been pre-selected by 2017, and two of them will be the final asronauts.
Taking into account that two years in average are required to train an astronaut, the selection process for North Korea should have started, as hinted by the 2018 New Year show.
In addition the 10 astronauts of the show corroborates the number of 10 Iranian pilots. Therefore one should assume that North Korea is also currently training 10 pilots.

See also

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part1] North Korea to reenact the DF-5 ICBM first ever full range test flight

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part2] North Korea's Underground Great Wall

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part3] North Korea's Indigenous Fighter Aircraft

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part4] Korea's First Manned Propelled Flying Vehicle

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part5] North Korea's Rare Earth Reserves

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part6] North Korea's Crude Oil Reserves

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part7] North Korea's Recoverable Capsule

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part8] North Korea's Manned Spacecraft

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part9] North Korea's Unha-9 Space Launcher

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part10] North Korea's Unha-18 Manned Space Launcher

• 
  
  
  • [China's best pupil: Part11] North Korea's Reusable Space Launcher

Nobody in their right mind would give up the already achieved nuclear development. That would be nothing short of inviting a second Iraq or Libya. Simply does not make empirical sense.

NK got security guarantee from China and drafted an action plan. I think they know what they are doing very well.

 

[Oldman1]

I guess their aim is to denuclearize North America.

China will prevent it from happening. Just like China telling North Korea to accept U.S. troops.

Nobody in their right mind would give up the already achieved nuclear development. That would be nothing short of inviting a second Iraq or Libya. Simply does not make empirical sense.

NK got security guarantee from China and drafted an action plan. I think they know what they are doing very well.

Are you implying China told NK to get rid of their nukes?