Article

2004-09-12 China-Japan-Koreas

Atomic Activity in North Korea Raises Concern

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Posted by Mrs. Davis 2004-09-12 7:27:24 AM|| || Front Page|| [6 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 For reasons that OldSpook covered thoroughly last night, the odds that Thursday's explosion was truly nuclear seem remote, but even if was a genuine nuke, my question remains the same: what story will Kim's domestic audience hear? Whether it was uranium, munitions, or fertilizer, any explosion big enough to produce a mushroom cloud "kilometers across" requires an explanation, even (especially?) in the world's most paranoid regime. Admitting a massive military accident would be regime suicide, so his only two broad options (unless someone else can suggest an alternative) are either 1) a successful home-grown nuke, or 2) an enemy attack. Two high body counts in a matter of months is good evidence that even NK's pampered military is being run "on the cheap," and that means that literally anything could happen next. What angle will Pyongyang take on this?

I wish secretive Stalinist regimes weren't so damned ... secretive.

Posted by Another Dan 2004-09-12 11:20:58 PM|| 2004-09-12 11:20:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 A Dan, why should the Bouffant One's subjects be told anything? When dissidents get sent to the medical experimentation building, and shirkers lose their grass ration, a certain lack of curiousity develops. If anything, it was probably announced that fireworks were set off to celebrate the Dear Leader's latest golf score.

Posted by trailing wife 2004-09-13 1:30:21 AM|| 2004-09-13 1:30:21 AM|| Front Page Top

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