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| N.Korea may have 'faked' Nuke test |
| 2006-10-09 |
| THE US will push for sanctions against rogue nation North Korea following its claim to have tested a nuclear device, even if the explosion is found to be a hoax. US intelligence has not been able to determine if North Korea's claim of successfully detonating a nuclear weapon yesterday is true or not, after they detected an explosion of less than one kilotonne in intensity. An anonymous US intelligence official said that first-time nuclear tests have historically been in the several kilotonne range. Monitors in Norway and Russia said their readings indicated an explosion of between one and 10 kilotonnes, but US authorities claimed it was much smaller – below one kilotonne. "I don't think you can rule out the possibility that he's (Kim Jong-Il) faking out the world," the official said. White House spokesman Tony Snow said the US reaction to North Korea's test would be the same whether the explosion was nuclear or not. The US is pushing for both preventative and punitive UN Security Council sanctions to be imposed on the rogue nation, including the prohibition of materials related to ballistic missile and nuclear weapon production and a ban on the importation of luxury goods. South Korean authorities fear the North may be planning further nuclear tests, after detecting unusual activity near the location where it is believed the first explosion took place. "There have been some unusual movements under way at Punggyeri where we had thought the first nuclear test would be carried out," said Kim Seung-Gyu, head of South Korea's spy agency, quoted by Yonhap news agency yesterday. "We are closely following developments there to find out whether North Korea is moving to conduct a series of tests as India and Pakistan did," he said. "North Korea is believed to have stored some 30 to 40 kilograms of plutonium... As one bomb needs five to six kilograms of plutonium, North Korea would be able to make up to seven atomic bombs." In 1998, India and Pakistan each detonated a series of nuclear bombs inside their borders. Yesterday, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, Pak Gil-Yon, said the country should be congratulated instead of condemned for its first nuclear tests. "It is better for the Security Council of the United Nations to congratulate the DPRK scientists and researchers," instead of pursuing a "reckless resolution" against North Korea, he said. The 15-member Security Council met yesterday to condemn the North Korean tests. They are due to convene again today to decide how to respond further. Prime Minister John Howard said yesterday the test will destabilise the region and further isolate North Korea from the international community. "We are both disturbed and outraged at this action by North Korea which should be condemned in the strongest possible terms," he said. "The test has destabilised the region. It has eroded North Korea's own security." |
| Posted by:Oztralian |
| #2 Typical Russian judge, eh? It certainly explains their scoring in the Olympics. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-09 22:50 |
| #1 Several stories out there about this. Most saying that the low yield makes the call more problematic / less certain. One thing seems to be consistent, however: they all indicate that within about 72 hrs there should emerge a semi-consensus. The only data outlier I've seen is the wacko statement coming from Russia that the yield was between 5KT and 15KT. This is more than double to 15x what everyone else is saying. Typical Russian judge, eh? Lol. |
| Posted by: .com 2006-10-09 21:52 |