North Korea claims nuclear test

last SG · 2006-10-11T15:27:04+00:00

Hmm...they going to launch a nuclear tipped LRBM to hit US? The LRBM that failed the previous test and they dare to put a nuke on it and shot it at the US?...

coolant SG

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/08/korea.nuclear.test/index.html

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- North Korea on Monday claimed it has performed a successful nuclear test, according to that country's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

South Korean government officials also said North Korea performed its first nuclear test, the South's Yonhap news agency reported.

The apparent nuclear test was conducted at 10:36 a.m. (0136 GMT) in Hwaderi near Kilju city, Yonhap reported, citing defense officials.

"The field of scientific research in the DPRK (North Korea's official name) successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions on October 9 ... at a stirring time when all the people of the country are making a great leap forward in the building of a great prosperous powerful socialist nation," KCNA reported.

Late Sunday in Washington, a U.S. military official told CNN that "something clearly has happened," but the Pentagon was working to fully confirm the report.

Senior U.S. officials said they also believed the test took place, citing seismic data that appeared to show one.

"The nuclear test was conducted with indigenous wisdom and technology 100 percent. It marks a historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the KPA (Korean People's Army) and people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defense capability," KCNA reported.

"It will contribute to defending the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the area around it."

The U.S. Geological Survey's Rafael Abreau said the earthquake-measuring agency has not recorded any seismic activity from North Korea.

However, South Korean intelligence officials said a seismic wave of magnitude-3.58 had been detected in North Hamkyung province, according to Yonhap.

In Tokyo, the prime minister's office said Japan had set up a task force to address the situation.

High-level South Korean officials were meeting Monday after intelligence of the suspected test was received.

"President Roh Moo-hyun called in an emergency meeting of related ministers on Monday to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue," said Yonhap, quoting Foreign Ministry spokesman Choo Kyu-ho.

"The meeting comes as there has been a grave change in the situation involving the North's nuclear activity."

According to KCNA, there was no radioactive leakage from the site.

On Friday, the U.N. Security Council warned North Korea against performing a nuclear test, citing unspecified action if it should do so.

It also called on North Korea to return immediately to the six-party talks with China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

'Serious provocation'
Citing American belligerence and pressure, North Korea said Tuesday that a nuclear test was in the works. A date and time for the test was not given.

The report of the test came as Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Seoul for meetings with President Roh Moo-hyun to address the nuclear issue as well as address strains in relations between the two countries over territorial and historical disputes.

North Korea accused rival South Korea on Monday of committing a serious provocation by firing warning shots during a weekend incident in which the South says soldiers from the communist North crossed over their border.

The border shooting came Saturday. South Korean soldiers rattled off about 40 warning shots after a group of five North Korean troops crossed into the southern side of the no-man's-land separating the divided Korean peninsula, South Korea said.

No one was hurt in the incident.

On Monday, members of the U.N. Security Council are expected to select South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to succeed Kofi Annan as secretary-general of the world body.

In a straw poll last Monday, all but one of the 15 council members supported that choice, according to Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya.

John Bolton, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, refused to discuss the outcome of the vote, but said: "I think it was sufficiently clear that all members of the council agreed to move to a formal vote on Monday night," he said. The announcement would be made Tuesday, he said.

CNN's Jamie McIntyre, Barbara Starr, Sohn Jie-ae and Elise Labott contributed to this report

Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

coolant SG

China expressed OUTRAGE on NKs nuclear test.

Shotgun SG

Originally posted by coolant:
[b]China expressed OUTRAGE on NKs nuclear test.[/b]

It seems that the Chinese are beginning to lose control of its leash on North Korea. And now it seems even more dangerous, since North Korea has nuclear weapons. I do not think that China would want North Korea to be nuclear capable since N.K has a track record of disregard towards bilateral relations.

This nuclear test will no doubt widen the rift between N. Korea and China.

LinYu SG

North Korea statement of the nuclear test

North Korea said Monday it had conducted its first nuclear weapons test. The text of the announcement by the countrys official Korean Central News Agency follows. The formal name for North Korea is the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea or DPRK and KPA refers to the Korean Peoples Army:

The field of scientific research in the DPRK successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions on October 9, 2006, at a stirring time when all the people of the country are making a great leap forward in the building of a great, prosperous, powerful socialist nation.

It has been confirmed that there was no such danger as radioactive emission in the course of the nuclear test as it was carried out under scientific consideration and careful calculation.

Shocked Shocked Shocked

Black Aces SG

I do not know what's the extent of China's influence over NK, but apparently I felt China's worst nightmare (with the detonation of this NK bomb) has come true.

That is Northeast Asia is slowly becoming a nuclear minefield with the nuclearisation of NK, SK may, I mean MAY, felt the need to be nucleared-equiped and with an already nuclear China and nuclear NK, Japan may find the justification needed to re-arm (legally) and with nukes.

Looking at the NK (& possibly Iran's example), Taiwan already facing a near Mission Impossible task of successfully repelling a PLA invasion, may turn to nuclear weapons to deter an aggressive PLA posture against the island.

Personally, Taiwan should have nuclear weapons in its arsenal. None of Beijing leaders would want to go down in history as the Chinese leader who 'lost' Taiwan but I seriously doubt no Chinese leader would want to go down history as the person who lost Beijing, Shanghai & possibly another coastal city just to 'reclaim' Taiwan.

Thoughts anyone?

the Bear SG

i still think the whole world should just "not give a damn" about North Korea's stupidity...

it'll infuriate the idiots running that madhouse, and humiliate them at the same time.. yet, they cannot say a single thing about being "humiliated" and whatever...

it's a classic thing.. North Korea threw a party or a war, and no one came...

tripwire SG

in my opinion... if NK gets away with it... and USA shows its inability to control or take actions...

other nations such as IRAN, SK, JAPAN and possibly even Taiwan with indigenious capability might be enticed to join the nuclear club as well.. leading to mass proliferations of nuclear arms..

when that happens... even countries that is not capable of making nuclear weapon would be forced to consider purchasing nuclear arms from the black market or rogue nuclear states as deterence.

in fact... singapore too... should consider a nuclear option... if our neighbours all went nuclear.

the Bear SG

what is the point?

let them all spend ridiculous amounts of money on nukes while we just say we have them Laughing

because when push came to shove, the people who were trained to launch the nukes on both sides then (the US and the Soviets) said that they will not even when the order came in..

Mutual Assured Destruction is, was and always will be, a sham...

maniacs like Osama may use nukes if they can get their paws on them.. however, if you are a country like the US, who the hell are you going to blow up with your own nukes?

eX.A.K.R. SG

(This post has been cross-posted among multiple forums)

I think it's time the international community further isolate this country by severing all diplomatic ties, shutting down every North Korean embassy out there, getting the small international community in North Korea to pull out of there, and to literally seal North Korea off from the outside world through all means, in order to send a very strong message to their government. This even if this means starving their (innocent) citizens to death; in fact, this might drive even more North Koreans out of their country and isolate North Korea even further.

However, any calls for military action should be considered carefully. You are now dealing with a country that can create a nuclear winter if you wage war with them. Moreover, military action can only serve to be a stepping stone to World War III, considering all the messiness we already have in other parts of the world. Governments must not react in a knee-jerk manner and carefully consider every possibility, including, in this case, total world war and it's scary consequences (think: end of the world). In my opinion, peaceful but strong, immediate, real, and frim actions must be taken against North Korea now in order for any progress to happen. Going to war will only make matters worse. Much, much worse.

Japan must also not use this as an excuse to go into militarism. I often regard Japan's move to a true pacifist country at the end of World War II (even if it was unfairly forced by the U.S.) as the right move, and a move every country should work towards. Going into militarism will be a great leap backwards for Japan, and will not help at all in mantaining the already-troubled "peace" of the world. In fact, hearing all the reports that a new arms race may be sparked off, Japan will only help it by going into militarism.

maggot SG

WW3 Very Happy

fifteen SG

siao one la they all.we living in peace nowadays why still need so powerful weapons?lols.defend ourselves from aliens?lols..

storm_freaky13 SG

I really dont understand what need is there for China to use its nukes on Taiwan and neither do i see a need for TW to go nuclear. If they ever do so, (they wont) China has all right to invade or rather reclaim taiwan. the chinese government has and always will view taiwan as its own. Only taiwan is playing around with the idea of being seperate from China.

For me i really hope Taiwan goes back to China perhaps under the S.A.R. just like Macau and HK. Afterall they are Chinese, they came from the mainland was together in the past so i see no reason why they want to be seperated. Perhaps someone can enlighten me. Is it idealogyH after china opened up, its really not that unbearable propaganda like what the North Koreans are still doing.

For the NK nuke issue, some has already mentioned that war will just make things worse. Thats is perfectly true and correct. And since China is reluctant to make the DPRK's government collapse due to the influx of hungry refugees, that is the main problem in my opinion the world should solve. perhaps standby rations and then seal off all trade and communications with NK and watch them tumble. No food, equals to hungry people or possibly dead people, and dead people means no fingers on the red button.

Shotgun SG

The only peaceful solution present is for NK to disarm its nuclear arsena, and allow UN inspectors to ensure. Chance of that happening? Not likely.

The other options may include sanctions and cutting off all aid to North Korea. People will starve and die, while Comrade Daffy Duck enjoys 20 course meals with his nuclear scientists.

A military option is NEEDED before NK can develop capabilities to actually launch their nukes. Should they be able to mate their Nukes to their long range missiles, they will threaten the entire region, and all the way up to Alaska. Everything from Japan, China, S.Korea, Taiwan, and the Russo-Jap oil pipelines can be hit.

Allowing North Korea to keep its nuclear arsenal, would mean countries such as Japan and South Korea arming up too. And what you have is a nuclear mine field in North east asia. Do we really want things to escalate to such a point before any action is taken?

I've mention before in militarynuts that as unfavorable as a conventional campaign may be, it may be the only solution. If the Chinese are willing to go along with this, to bring their disobedient allies under control, it may be over pretty quickly. A coalition for Chinese, Japanese, South Korean and American Forces maybe what is needed to demonstrate a unified resolve to see a nuclear free Korean Peninsular.

After that, can always divide North Korea up 4 ways with individual administrative regions under the various coalition nations. Together with the UN to oversee, it maybe a solution to the North Korean problem once and for all. Costly and risky though.

But not as costly, risky and deadly as a nuclear neighbourhood in North East Asia.

Gackt247 SG

More exciting CNA, CNN, BBC, AL Jazeera news.. yea..

maggot SG

A nuclear missile launched in the direction of China and Russia would trigger an all out nuclear response from both countries as they cannot be sure where the nuclear missile would land and so please welcome WW3 Twisted Evil

siaokao SG

Should attack them and get over with it.. Evil or Very Mad

Chinese Army surely can just walk over NK!

Ah Cek SG

there goes the stock market... Evil or Very Mad

monstropper SG

and yen is going to drop…

bigballs11 SG

Actually hor, according to my spy sources, that so call "nuclear" explosion is created by a large underground TNT explosion. Every dick knows that US/Jap is more than happy to play along with NK, so the NK idiot think of this scarecrow plan will be assrim by KJ the second Laughing

Shotgun SG

The explosion roughly equalled 550 tonnes of TNT. But for 550 Tonnes of TNT to cause a 4.2 earthquake. I believe public discussion believes otherwise.

To create an earthquake of magnitude 4 on the richter scale, u need at least 56,000 kg of explosives. I was told that conventional explosives cannot be used to create earthquakes, else they would have succeeded at using explosives to create earthquakes to relieve "stressed" areas to prevent larger earthquakes.

But still point taken. The North Koreans created a seismic event of 4.2 by detonating what is now suspected to be a nuclear weapon. It could also be a huge expiring batch of artillery shells.

What "spy" sources do you actually have, seriously? Abovetopsecret.com? Laughing