North Korea Goes Nuclear

[MastanKhan]

Gentlemen and ladies,

We are watching history in the making---



Reuters – North Korea's military personnel parade with a portrait of North Korea's late leader Kim Il-sung …
Slideshow:North Korea 22 mins ago
SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea says it has successfully conducted a nuclear test.

The country's official Korean Central News Agency reported that the test was carried out Monday.

Lee Dong-kwan, a spokesman for the South Korean president, says that a nuclear test may have been carried out in the North.

President Lee Myung-bak has called an emergency security session.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean media are reporting that North Korea may have conducted a nuclear test.

YTN television is citing an unnamed government official and the Yonhap news agency cites a ruling party member as saying the nuclear test may have occured Monday morning.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has convened an emergency meeting.

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

What a coincidence----I just picked up this book from the library and started reading it this morning----even though I had read this book before many a years ago----ammazing-----.

The name of the book is RED PHOENIX BY LARRY BOND

 

[Manticore]

i hope that pakistan is not blamed and some serious cuts are not made by the different aid programmes run in pakistan...afterall all, this is what happens to pakistan every time something wrong happens in the world

 

[MastanKhan]

Hi,

A friend of mine replied to my email ' pakistan will pay heavily for it '. Yes indeed we will.

When things started going bad for us after the u s incursion into afghanistan---average pakistanis or the above average pakistani political analysts and the way above average pakistani generals had no idea to where ould this chaos lead pakistan into. Their analysis about the situation regarding the al qaeda finding safe havens in pakistan and pakistanis keeping up with their SOB STORIES of islamic brotherhood and the pashtuns parroting about the intricacies of pakhtunwali---and resulting manner of relief provided and given to insurgents of any kind and creed was just mind boggling.

Today---pakistani army is doing what it should have done 6 years ago----the pakistani nuclear program is in the forefront of every news delivery in the u s of a----A Q Khan is back n the limelight by the u s congress---the half cocked effort by the pak millitary for over 6 years has left a bad taste in the mouth of all of pakistani friends. Even though the pak army has stepped up its effort to fight the talibs---it is seemingly a little too late---6 years ago it was just a benign tumour---today it has turned into a massive malignant tumour that has spread througout the body---now the pakistani wants to remove this tumour---because he can feel the pain in his body---now he feels his ultimate death looming ahead---what a price to pay for the lack of understanding the significance of letting taliban prosper unchecked in our country.

It was just not the al qaeda / taliban alone that was the issue---there were so many other related issues that started coming up slowly to the surface---just like dead bodies surfacing in the pond---one after the other---pakistani problems surfacing---rather being made to surface---one after the other---in a pre-planned manner---just waiting for the right moment---the world is being prepared and prepped for pakistan's " as we know it " demise.

At every step---pakistanis were told of impending dangers up ahead---pakistanis were too arrogant to accept the threat that they posed---pakistanis were told that they were headed in the wrong direction---pakistanis cared less---a misinformation campaign by some religious and political leaders---a carefree attitude of the retired generals to the changing world---a lack of understanding the level of present threat and the cumulative effect of the future threat of al qaeda and taliban was not understood at all by the recent and current active duty millitary analysts and pakistani spy agency.

North korean nuclear explosion has pushed it far deeper into the abyss.

 

[Skeptic]

Q+A-What's the real threat of N.Korea's nuclear programme?

SEOUL, May 25 (Reuters) - North Korea said on Monday it had conducted a nuclear test, the second for the secretive state after a 2006 blast that was seen by experts as only a partial success due to its relatively low yield.

Pyongyang had threatened a new nuclear test in response to tightened U.N. sanctions. [ID:nSEO194433]

Following are some questions and answers about the secretive state's nuclear arms programme:

WHAT IS NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITY?

North Korea is thought to have produced enough plutonium for about six to eight weapons and has already produced one rudimentary nuclear device. It likely cannot miniaturise a nuclear weapon to mount on a missile and would need a significant amount of testing to master the technology, weapons experts say. And its Soviet-era bombers would not be able to evade the advanced air forces of the United States, Japan and South Korea to deliver a bomb, which means it may be many years before North Korea can actually threaten the world with a nuclear weapon.

SO HOW BIG IS THE SECURITY THREAT?

The North's nuclear arms programme is not a major security threat at present because it has not yet shown it can build an effective bomb, nor does it have an effective delivery system.

Results that show the explosive force of the current test should be known in the next few days, which will indicate if the country has improved its nuclear weapons technology.

The biggest security threats posed by the North come from its hundreds of mid-range missiles, which can hit all of South Korea and most of Japan, as well as its artillery batteries posted close to its border with the South. Jane's Defence estimated the North could rain 500,000 shells an hour into the Seoul area, which is home to about half of South Korea's 49 million people.

A North Korean first strike with artillery and rockets, which may also carry biological weapons or material to spread radiation poisoning, would cause major damage to economic powers South Korea and Japan, which in turn would deal a heavy blow to the global economy. It would also be a suicidal move, because the U.S.-led counter-strike would quickly destroy North Korea.

WHAT ARE NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR FACILITIES?

The heart of the North's nuclear arms programme is the Yongbyon nuclear plant, located about 100 km (60 miles) north of the capital Pyongyang [ID:nSP463873]. Its key facilities are a plant that makes nuclear fuel, an antiquated reactor that burns the fuel and a plant that separates plutonium from spent fuel. It has various clandestine facilities where it works on weapons designs and uranium enrichment, intelligence sources said.

WILL DIPLOMACY WORK TO END THE NORTH'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME?

Probably not.

North Korea for years has used its military threat to squeeze concessions from global powers and experts doubt it will give up its biggest card while leader Kim Jong-il is in charge. For Kim, only nuclear weapons can give his small state real standing in the world. They also underpin his military-first policy in the face of what Pyongyang says is the threat of a U.S. invasion.

HOW BIG OF A THREAT IS PROLIFERATION?

The proliferation threat is real. The United States, under former President George W. Bush, suspected the North aided Syria in developing a nuclear programme.

Even though the North's nuclear arms programme is based on what experts consider outdated technology, cash-strapped North Korea has mastered the nuclear fuel cycle and could sell its nuclear expertise to states aiming to make plutonium for weapons. (Editing by Dean Yates)

 

[Skeptic]

North Korea nuclear weapon test announcement: text in full

The following is the full text of the report released by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency the country's second nuclear weapons test:

"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25 as part of the measures to bolster up its nuclear deterrent for self-defence in every way as requested by its scientists and technicians.

"The current nuclear test was safely conducted on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology of its control and the results of the test helped satisfactorily settle the scientific and technological problems arising in further increasing the power of nuclear weapons and steadily developing nuclear technology.

"The successful nuclear test is greatly inspiring the army and people of the DPRK all out in the 150-day campaign, intensifying the drive for effecting a new revolutionary surge to open the gate to a thriving nation.

"The test will contribute to defending the sovereignty of the country and the nation and socialism and ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the region around it with the might of Songun."

 

[Rafael]

More troubles for pakistan?

 

[brilTek]

Its North Korea Second Nuclear Test

First was conducted in 2006. The second test created almost same seismic activity around 4.5 to the first one.

Watch the following video that shows how the first test was done? Also its comparison to nuclear bomb dropped at hiroshima.

msnbc.com Video Player

 

[duhastmish]

pakistan is like - the black sheep of the family - lol for reason or not who ever stuff up things pakistan does get a part of scolding thanks to - weak leadership of pakistan.

as for north kore i wonder. what North Korea has to gain from detonating a 10kt warhead above Seoul? Apart from really stirring up the hornets nest, not much else. They would be more of a deterrence and bargaining chip more than anything. Invading armies would face 'battlefield' style warheads. NK could also use the nuclear weapon as a economic tool/blackmail tool. Demand from the West that it needs X amount of grain, Y amount of oil and Z amount of money or else.... latest news btw is that North Koreans have shot off about 6 short-medium range missiles this afternoon.

one way to deal is that everybody stop antagonizing them. The DPRK have pretty much kept to themselves since the war, bar responding to meddling from the West. Drop the sanctions and stop paying attention to Kim Jong Il, stop the threats and leave them in peace, and this stupidity will all go away.

Looking from a Chinese perspective i think North Korea has one of the world's largest armies and starving millions. 40 Years ago under Mao China was best friends and had the same go nowhere economy. Not now because North Korea threatens stability in the area and China has a real economy to protect. What will the Chinese do? Not easy to predict, their border with North Korea is open and they are within a stones throw of North Korea's missiles.

Where's Team America when you need them...

 

[genmirajborgza786]

North Korea has impressed the world Bravo !!!

I salute you sir'....

http://www.asianresearch.org/news_images/2004-7-9-n.korea_kim.jpg

Russian reaction

Naturally, we are concerned by reports that North Korea has conducted an explosion of a nuclear device. These reports have come from Pyongyang. Naturally, we are also relying on the need to double-check these reports, including by means of national seismic control, which we and other countries have. Now all the received data are being analysed. After that we will draw conclusions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8066676.stm

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV

 

[genmirajborgza786]

Where's Team America when you need them...

simple mate
they are busy fixing their economic crisis .

 

[duhastmish]

lol nah mate !!
they are on it

i see the fire in them eyes


--- but a man with such sense of dressing and hair do - is just not allowed to have weapons like that. because all those child hood memories- will take a rage on him and he might use them on - his old pal hommies who use to beat him when he was kid.

 

[ajpirzada]

well one thing is for sure. now north korea wont become iraq. i wish iraq had nuclear weapons as well. not one would have attacked
Gud going North Korea. if israel and US can have it then y not some other country?? i guess so far US has been the worse in handling nuclear weapons

Pakistan has gone through very tough times in her history... let this one come as well. no problem

 

[maverick2009]

North Korea nothing but a failed state with an Atom bomb in its hands,, trying black mail the world with MAD in exchange for $$$$

 

[sohailbutt]

America, wake up, this is a Nation who threatens the world especially you guys indirectly with Nukes. You see, America is scared, and it will not take action against a nation with nukes in hand!

It always targets weaker nations like Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia who are no match against it, this is called power! They scare their Nation about Iran who does not even have nukes where as on the other hand, a Nation has nukes and America and it's allies do nothing and just talk democracy with North!

What's the use of all those aircraft carriers, and $600 Billion annual defence budget???