| Submit your comments on this article |
| China-Japan-Koreas |
| N. Korea estimated to have 40 kilograms of plutonium |
| 2010-11-03 |
| (KUNA) -- North Korea is believed to have produced some 40 kilograms of plutonium, the main ingredient of an atomic bomb, and to be miniaturizing nuclear weapons to improve their mobility, South Korea's defense minister said Tuesday, local media reported. "We believe that North Korea owns 40kg of plutonium and continues attempts to miniaturize atomic weapons," Defense Minister Kim Tae-young told politicians in Seoul, according to Yonhap News Agency. The US believes North Korea had produced about 50 kg of the weapons material, which experts say would be enough for six to eight atomic bombs. Kim said North Korea's ballistic missiles could be used as "useful means" to carry nuclear bombs along with its fleet of bombers, according to the report. North Korea, which conducted two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, has shown no signs that it owns a working nuclear bomb. Asked about the possibility of another nuclear test by North Korea, Kim replied, "There is a possibility, but no clear signs (of a third nuclear test) have been observed yet." North Korea has also made progress in its uranium enrichment program, which could give Pyongyang a second way to develop nuclear weapons in addition to the plutonium-based program, Kim said. North Korea officially quit six-party talks, a forum aimed at ending its nuclear development in exchange for incentives, in April last year and conducted the second nuclear test a month later. The six-party talks, which also involve South Korea, China, the US, Japan and Russia, were last held two years ago. Chances of their resumption have been dim after Seoul blamed Pyongyang for sinking one of its warships in March, which killed 46 sailors. North Korea has been beckoning other members recently, saying that it is willing to rejoin the forum. South Korea demands that the communist neighbor shows in action its willingness to denuclearize and apologize for the ship sinking. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Which may be linked to To wit, * WORLD NEWS > [Isarel IDF] MI HEAD: IRAN CAN ALREADY PRODUCE NUCLEAR BOMB. and * SAME/TOPIX > OUTGOING IDF INTEL CHIEF: HEZBOLLAH CAN TAKEOVER LEBANON IN A DAY ["Day" = matter of Hours]. Hezbollah has no real opponent in Lebanon to stop it from doing so iff it so desired. SYRIA = is repor engaged in MASSIVELY BUY OF RUSS MIL WARES AS SOON/FAST AS RUSSIA CAN MAKE OR PRODUCE SAME, espec ANTI-IDAF ADMS = S-300's, ISRAEL MAY NEED LONGER THAN 48 HOURS TO ACHIEVE AIR SUPERIORITY N A WAR AGZ SYRIA. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-11-03 02:12 |