It hasn't been confirmed if true, but North Korea has claimed it has completed it's first Nuclear test. This is scary stuff. It could cause a race for nuclear weapons in the region. (I saw this on FOX News....also on CNN) Edit: North Korea Claims Test of Nuclear Weapon; U.S. Intelligence Can't Confirm Sunday , October 08, 2006 SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Monday it has performed its first-ever nuclear weapons test. The country's official Korean Central News Agency said the test was performed successfully and that there had been no radioactive leakage from the site. "The nuclear test is a historic event that brought happiness to the our military and people," KCNA said. "The nuclear test will contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and surrounding region." South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has convened a meeting of security advisers over the issue, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported, adding that intelligence over the test has been exchanged between concerned countries. The North said last week it would conduct a test, sparking regional concern and frantic diplomatic efforts aimed at dissuading Pyongyang from such a move. North Korea has long claimed to have nuclear weapons, but had never before performed a known test to prove its arsenal. The nuclear test was conducted at 10:36 a.m. (0136 GMT) in Hwaderi near Kilju city, Yonhap reported, citing defense officials. The North has refused for a year to attend international talks aimed at persuading it to disarm. The country pulled out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in 2003 after U.S. officials accused it of a secret nuclear program, allegedly violating an earlier nuclear pact between Washington and Pyongyang. Speculation over a possible North Korean test arose earlier this year after U.S. and Japanese reports cited suspicious activity at a suspected underground test site. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,218699,00.html
Here's the article from the AP http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15190745/?GT1=8618 North Korea claims nuclear weapons test Official news agency says no radioactive leakage BREAKING NEWS Updated: 10 minutes ago SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea said Monday it has performed its first-ever nuclear weapons test. The country’s official Korean Central News Agency said the test was performed successfully and there was no radioactive leakage from the site. “The nuclear test is a historic event that brought happiness to the our military and people,” KCNA said. South Korean officials could not immediately confirm the report. South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun convened an urgent meeting of security advisers over the issue, Yonhap reported. The North said last week it would conduct a nuclear test as part of its deterrent against a possible U.S. invasion. The director of South Korea’s monitoring center that is watching for a test with sound and seismic detectors declined to immediately comment on the report. The U.S. Geological Survey said it had detected no seismic activity in North Korea, although it was not clear whether a blast would be strong enough for its sensors. This breaking news story will be updated.
Very, very bad news. I'm surprised they didn't wait, if this is true. The leaders of China and Japan were just having the first summit between the countries in 5 years, something I thought was a big step towards bettering relations and mutual understanding, as well as coordination on issues like North Korea. This will change everything. I don't know how long Japan will wait, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a change in the Japanese constitution allowing them to have nuclear weapons, followed shortly after by Japan building them. They could construct them within months, and not the crude types built by Pakistan and, apparently, North Korea. South Korea may decide to build them as well, for the deterrent factor. What a mess. And we are bogged down in Iraq. Wow. I hope Bush is proud of his stubbornness. NK wanted one on one talks. Over and over they asked for talks between the US and NK. Bush refused. NK asked shortly before the apparent "test," again, and said they wouldn't do it if Bush would agree. He refused. Have we seen worse foreign policy in recent decades? Keep D&D Civil.
This is a blow against the credibility of the Chinese government on one of their major diplomatic issues. Supposedly they had the most influence on the DPRK and this shows just how much influence they have. For obvious reasons, they have been the main obstacle in the U.N. against strong sanctions and this is what they get for it. Some of the comments between the two countries the last few days surprised me. Call me naive, but I doubted it would come to this. Now that this line is crossed, the diplomacy could get ugly pretty fast. Fasten your seat belts.
And you believe NK leaders? Are they actually going to stop testing nukes if they get one on one talks? Wait, you mean like the way they broke their promises repeatedly before? The more you give in to their demands, the more they will demand. Let's face it, the current NK leaders will never give up nukes, because without it they wouldn't be able to run their extortion and blackmail scheme. (clinton or bush would have made no difference).
Someone in US intelligence could confirm whether North Korea set off a bomb or not, they just don't want to or aren't cleared to. The US has several satellites which monitor the gamma ray burst when a detonation occurs whether it is underground or not. It is my understanding that it is essentially impossible to shield this burst. I believe that in the last few years, as well, many universities have actively developed equipment which monitors gamma ray bursts, since they occur as part of an astronomically interesting event. Here is an article from nasa about the gamma ray bursts and nuclear tests. Essentially you really can't bluff about this and fool the people you really are trying to fool.
That's exactly right. The problem with world diplomacy is the joke of a governing institution the United Nations has become. It has solved exactly zero problems, and only delayed diplomatic and military solutions to conflicts by their endless string of do nothing resolutions that never are enforced and have no teeth. Then they allow all sorts of corruption, money changing hands under the table. Just a total joke. You wanna blame somebody, go back to FDR and trace the history of the UN back to it's roots and blame all those that contributed to its lack of effectiveness by letting the inmates run the asylum. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. You can't talk away guys like that nut job in NK and the terrorist in Iran. In the words of the dearly beloved Zell Miller, you don't negotiate with snakes; you cut their heads off. It's time to melt down these 2 situations to just that and it's time to melt down those nations. We need to let their countries know that they are under impending attack, give the citizens as much warning as possible to get out of the area of any known military installations, and then declare war, and blow up everything they got that can fly through the air or produce any object that can fly through the air. That is after we declare war by dropping a bomb straight on the dictators themselves. Get a bead on 'em and drop 'em. Everybody knows we are headed for another World War. Bush can't stop it. And neither can Clinton, Gore, or either one of the dingwings from Ma. They can't stop it. We should preempt the whole thing and not wait for another Pearl Harbor before we get off our duff. We already had 911. That was enough. Is this sleeping Lion indeed awake or did she just stumble awake for 911 only to go back asleep.
I'm really not trying to sound condescending when I say this, but have you read up on the history of our diplomacy in the asia-pacific region? it really has been a no win situation with NK. one on one talks would not have mattered and we had repeatedly tried to use multilateralism in the region due to the presence of china and all the major powers in the region.
With a sane American leader, it's highly possible the US will capitalize upon this and become the World's Friend again. It's not even partisanship that's in the way. A man like HW Bush or Clinton is probably thinking the same thing out of this horrible situation. Heck, now the US will be more inclined to support India without worrying about the NPT/ containment problem. The US is on a long path towards rebuilding trust with the world, but a greater threat will benefit us. Now how not to start a nuclear world war....
It's ridiculous that you want to blame this on Bush. As others have pointed out, they would have kept on building their nukes anyway. Thanks Ottomaton. Always looking forward to your knowledgable, non-partisan posts.
I am not an expert by any means, but Korea & Japan are the most geologically active area in the world. I think with the gamma rays you are sure, whereas Kim Jong-Il could just wait for a decent sized earthquake and claim a test. Although now that you mention it USGS shows a magnitude 4.2 earthquake in North Korea today, and the epicenter is almost exactly at the location reported to be the most likely test site by GlobalSecurity.org, 70km north of Kimchaek and 90km SW of Chongjin. edit: I also did some looking and the location is reported by USGS (US Geological Survey) as an area free of earthquake hazard; a geologically inactive area. As far as I can tell unless the USGS is faking data, this test occurred.
The PRC's ability to control NK has long been seriously overrated. While the PRC had the closest relations with NK that had more to do with how bad NK's relations were with the rest of the World. There have been frictions between NK and the PRC and this is definately not something that the PRC wants.
Wasn't it well known that NK was in the process of building a nuclear device for many years already? Thus I am not too surprised by this news.
A war involving North Korea would destroy East Asia. Think before you speak. Bombing them isn't the solution. A war will only cause more problems. Much more problems. And maybe you don't realize how many millions of people live in Korea, Japan, and East China. Nobody wants war. Except for nut jobs like you and maybe our stubborn president. Also if you think your ass would be safe in a nuclear war just because your in the US half around the world, sorry you're terribly wrong. It is in your best interest as well that there is no war. period. So if you can't find compassion for the millions of Asians in the area, atleast look out for your own ass.
Well, great. Of all the countries that have or are about to have or pretend to not have nukes, NK gives me the most heebie-jeebies bar none... and that includes Iran and Pakistan. What now?
