N. Korea Conducts Nuclear Test

[NATO AIR]

Just lovely....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15190745/

BREAKING NEWS

Updated: 12:58 a.m. ET Oct. 9, 2006

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea said Monday it had performed its first-ever nuclear weapons test, setting off an underground blast in defiance of international warnings and intense diplomatic activity aimed at heading off such a move.

The North Korean statement said there was no radioactive leakage from the test site.

An official at South Korea’s seismic monitoring center confirmed a magnitude-3.6 tremor felt at the time North Korea said it conducted the test was not a natural occurrence. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition his name not be used, because he was not authorized to talk about the sensitive information to the media.

Australia also said there was seismic confirmation that North Korea conducted a nuclear test.

However, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that information still needs to be collected and analyzed to determine whether North Korea truly conducted its first nuclear test.

Japan’s top government spokesman said if confirmed, the North Korean test would post a serious threat to the stability in the region and a provocation.

China, the North’s closest ally, said Beijing “resolutely opposes” the North Korean nuclear test and hopes Pyongyang will return to disarmament talks.

U.S. and South Korean officials could not immediately confirm the report.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the alert level of the military had been raised in response to the claimed nuclear test.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to discuss the reported North Korean test on Monday, and the United States and Japan are likely to press for a resolution imposing additional sanctions on Pyongyang.

A resolution adopted in July after a series of North Korean missile launches imposed limited sanctions on North Korea and demanded that the reclusive communist nation suspend its ballistic missile program — a demand the North immediately rejected.

The resolution bans all U.N. member states from selling material or technology for missiles or weapons of mass destruction to North Korea — and it bans all countries from receiving missiles, banned weapons or technology from Pyongyang.

‘Peace and stability’
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 North’s official Korean Central News Agency said the underground test was performed successfully.

“It marks a historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the ... people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defense capability,” the KCNA statement said.

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

South Korean intelligence officials said the seismic wave had been detected in North Hamkyung province, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. It said the test was conducted at 10:36 a.m. (9:36 p.m. EDT Sunday) in Hwaderi near Kilju city on the northeast coast, citing defense officials.

North Korean scientists “successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions,” the KCNA report said, adding this was “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.”

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.

On Sunday night, U.S. government officials said a wide range of agencies were looking into the report of the nuclear test, which officials were taking seriously.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has convened a meeting of security advisers over the issue, Yonhap reported, and intelligence over the test has been exchanged between concerned countries.

International talks stalled
Kyodo News agency reported that the Japanese government has set up a taskforce in response to reports of the test.

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.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[onedomino]

Since we did nothing to prevent this while we could, we are left without any options. With chemical and biological weapons, the threat to Seoul (just 20 miles south of the DMZ) was always dire. This nuke test only reinforces the menace of NK and its regime of sociopaths. What next? If you were running things in SK and Japan would it not now become an overwhelming national security issue to obtain your own nuke? Thank you Jimmy Carter for believing NK lies. Thank you Bill Clinton for believing that Carter knew what he was doing. Thank you Russia for giving NK nuke technology to begin with. Thank you Pakistan for making sure that NK knew how to build a nuke. Thank you China for doing nothing while the situation spiraled out of control. See you all in hell, which may soon make an appearance on the Korean peninsula.

 

[Dr Grump]

Hey Nato, Japan seems pretty PO'ed about this going from international press coverage, what's it like on the ground over there? Serious?

 

[onedomino]

The US detected a near surface 4.2 magnitude quake Monday in North Korea. Check the following USGS website for the precise location of the NK nuke test:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Maps/10/130_40.php

 

[akiboy]

So , N.K has finally conducted its nuclear test (underground) after a tense week. South Korean officials say that the test was underground and measured 4.5 on the Richter scale. Also, the Russian military is 100% sure that N.K had conducted the test. But , when a Pentagon official was quizzed about it he/she said that there wasn't 100% evidence that the test was carried out.
Come on when an omlette hits your face how can you not notice it ?? Did Pentagon think N.K was bluffing???

Anyways , everyone knew this was coming. Great.. now we have 4 nuclear nations in Asia which will soon become 5 in the next few years(Iran!!!).

Japan now wants to develop a missile defence system in co-operation with the U.S to ward off the N.K threat.

My solution is why not invade N.K instead of beating our head on the wall
No use crying over spilled milk. Kim is not going to listen to the U.N,The U.S ,China ,Japan or any other nation on this earth. Before he develops a ICBM lets start a Korean War and finish it as fast as possible before it becomes too late. The best thig would be is to integrate N.K with Sout Korea and make it one whole nation. Remember Korea was unified since the 15th Century under the Choson dynasty until the 1950's.

Akshay

 

[Stephanie]

So , N.K has finally conducted its nuclear test (underground) after a tense week. South Korean officials say that the test was underground and measured 4.5 on the Richter scale. Also, the Russian military is 100% sure that N.K had conducted the test. But , when a Pentagon official was quizzed about it he/she said that there wasn't 100% evidence that the test was carried out.
Come on when an omlette hits your face how can you not notice it ?? Did Pentagon think N.K was bluffing???

Anyways , everyone knew this was coming. Great.. now we have 4 nuclear nations in Asia which will soon become 5 in the next few years(Iran!!!).

Japan now wants to develop a missile defence system in co-operation with the U.S to ward off the N.K threat.

My solution is why not invade N.K instead of beating our head on the wall
No use crying over spilled milk. Kim is not going to listen to the U.N,The U.S ,China ,Japan or any other nation on this earth. Before he develops a ICBM lets start a Korean War and finish it as fast as possible before it becomes too late. The best thig would be is to integrate N.K with Sout Korea and make it one whole nation. Remember Korea was unified since the 15th Century under the Choson dynasty until the 1950's.

Akshay

So? Who is this "who should " you think should invade N.K.?

 

[akiboy]

The U.S ,Japan and South Korea. I mean there isn't any other solution. If Kim wants war then lets give it to him. What can he do ?? He still doesnt have a missile that can hit LA or SanFrancisco. Sanctions and isolation isnt going to hurt him or his military. Before N.K aquires more nukes and starts helping Iran too , the U.S along with its allies in South East Asia should atleast bomb his nuke facilities and if N.K fires even one teensy weensy bullet across the DMZ then lets invade N.K via air,land,sea.


AKSHAY

 

[Stephanie]

The U.S ,Japan and South Korea. I mean there isn't any other solution. If Kim wants war then lets give it to him. What can he do ?? He still doesnt have a missile that can hit LA or SanFrancisco. Sanctions and isolation isnt going to hurt him or his military. Before N.K aquires more nukes and starts helping Iran too , the U.S along with its allies in South East Asia should atleast bomb his nuke facilities and if N.K fires even one teensy weensy bullet across the DMZ then lets invade N.K via air,land,sea.


AKSHAY

Ok, can you guys get right on that...... Your from Dubai....Can you help?

 

[KarlMarx]

Since we did nothing to prevent this while we could, we are left without any options. With chemical and biological weapons, the threat to Seoul (just 20 miles south of the DMZ) was always dire. This nuke test only reinforces the menace of NK and its regime of sociopaths. What next? If you were running things in SK and Japan would it not now become an overwhelming national security issue to obtain your own nuke? Thank you Jimmy Carter for believing NK lies. Thank you Bill Clinton for believing that Carter knew what he was doing. Thank you Russia for giving NK nuke technology to begin with. Thank you Pakistan for making sure that NK knew how to build a nuke. Thank you China for doing nothing while the situation spiraled out of control. See you all in hell, which may soon make an appearance on the Korean peninsula.

Well at least George W Bush didn't engage in cowboy diplomacy and worked with the United Nations for once, not only that, he didn't alienate us from the rest of the world by trying to resolve this by pre-emption.

OK... I'm being a wise guy. An invasion of North Korea probably, and more accurately, very likely have escalated into a conflict with China.

However, this should demonstrate just how useless the United Nations is. It should also show people who think that UN has the stomach to back up its own resolutions that they had better face reality.

An ugly fact of life is that regimes such as North Korea exist in the world. Those regimes amount to nothing more than gangsters running a country. Unlike the United States, who respects the rule of law, the dictators of those countries feel that they are above the law. North Korean and Cuban membership in the United Nations is a joke and an insult. They use the body to regularly attack the United States, then ignore any resolution against them.

 

[KarlMarx]

The U.S ,Japan and South Korea. I mean there isn't any other solution. If Kim wants war then lets give it to him. What can he do ?? He still doesnt have a missile that can hit LA or SanFrancisco. Sanctions and isolation isnt going to hurt him or his military. Before N.K aquires more nukes and starts helping Iran too , the U.S along with its allies in South East Asia should atleast bomb his nuke facilities and if N.K fires even one teensy weensy bullet across the DMZ then lets invade N.K via air,land,sea.


AKSHAY

That may or may not be easy, my guess is that we'd probably have the upper hand. However, you forget that North Korea has a neighbor to the North that will, and has, intervened militarily if the North were to be attacked.

 

[Stephanie]

I'm still waiting for the guy from Dubai to go in there and take care of it.....Why should it be, just up to us?
Then we're accused of being the imperalist of the world....

......

 

[KarlMarx]

I'm still waiting for the guy from Dubai to go in there and take care of it.....Why should it be, just up to us?
Then we're accused of being the imperalist of the world....

......

My advice to anyone who believes that the United Nations will bring about world peace.

Next time you lose a tooth, put it under your pillow, and this Christmas Eve, leave a plate of cookies and a glass of milk beside your tree.

The possibility of finding a quarter under your pillow, the cookies eaten and the milk finished are far greater than the possibility of the United Nations achieving world peace.

 

[akiboy]

First of all I am not from Dubai. I am an Indian from Mumbai. I study in Dubai.

Well , if I have got my facts correct then N.Korea is more of a threat to the U.S and Japan than Dubai or India. I am totally against N.Korea being a threat to the U.S. I may not live in America but I have relatives in the States and I don't want them getting bombed by N.K nukes. So, I would like to make it clear that its not only the problem of America but its the problem of the whole of Asia. Unfortunately , AMerica has to do the dirty work as America is threatened. Suppose , the N.K regime develops ICBM'S in the late future (actually they already have started developing it. Its called the Taepodong 3 or 4) and start threatening America with it then what would America do?? THe upper hand would clearly belong to N.K as its leader is prepared to lose his capital but is America prepared to lose L.A or any of its cities on the Pacific Coast??

As for CHina.. Screw China. America should be more firm with CHina. Give them a ultimatum . If China tries to interfere then America shouldn't worry. India , Japan and S.korea will help you all out.

Akshay

 

[akiboy]

PS: I forgot to add. U.S will not seem to be imperialist if N.K threatens it. This is America's , South korea's and Japan's problems. If Kim fires a missile towards Okinawa in Japan where there are 1000 U.S troops then what will the U.S do?? I dont think America is prepared to bring home a 1000 bodybags containing dead American soldiers!!!!Its the same situation during 1962. You all didn't like the Soviets messing around with Cuba.


Akshay

 

[dilloduck]

PS: I forgot to add. U.S will not seem to be imperialist if N.K threatens it. This is America's , South korea's and Japan's problems. If Kim fires a missile towards Okinawa in Japan where there are 1000 U.S troops then what will the U.S do?? I dont think America is prepared to bring home a 1000 bodybags containing dead American soldiers!!!!Its the same situation during 1962. You all didn't like the Soviets messing around with Cuba.


Akshay

If the United States were a nation of courage, resolve, and unity of purpose you might have a good idea but it's not. We are having a political civil war and in no way positioned to do what is necessary.

 

[Hamiltonian]

The U.S ,Japan and South Korea. I mean there isn't any other solution. If Kim wants war then lets give it to him. What can he do ?? He still doesnt have a missile that can hit LA or SanFrancisco. Sanctions and isolation isnt going to hurt him or his military. Before N.K aquires more nukes and starts helping Iran too , the U.S along with its allies in South East Asia should atleast bomb his nuke facilities and if N.K fires even one teensy weensy bullet across the DMZ then lets invade N.K via air,land,sea.


AKSHAY

Kim Jong Il can destroy a large part of the Asian economy before being taken down. That would also greatly take down our economy. Also, who knows who else would become involved in this conflict, like China.

First of all I am not from Dubai. I am an Indian from Mumbai. I study in Dubai.

Well , if I have got my facts correct then N.Korea is more of a threat to the U.S and Japan than Dubai or India. I am totally against N.Korea being a threat to the U.S. I may not live in America but I have relatives in the States and I don't want them getting bombed by N.K nukes. So, I would like to make it clear that its not only the problem of America but its the problem of the whole of Asia. Unfortunately , AMerica has to do the dirty work as America is threatened. Suppose , the N.K regime develops ICBM'S in the late future (actually they already have started developing it. Its called the Taepodong 3 or 4) and start threatening America with it then what would America do?? THe upper hand would clearly belong to N.K as its leader is prepared to lose his capital but is America prepared to lose L.A or any of its cities on the Pacific Coast??

As for CHina.. Screw China. America should be more firm with CHina. Give them a ultimatum . If China tries to interfere then America shouldn't worry. India , Japan and S.korea will help you all out.

Akshay

America isn't nearly as threatened as Japan. DPRK hates Japan much more than it hates us.

Kim Jong Il is not willing to lose power. He has already had 2 million of his citizens die to prevent that from happening. If the US goes to war with DRPK, there is no way that Kim Jong Il will remain in power afterwards. Kim Jong Il is not willing to start a war because that will make him lose power.

 

[CSM]

First of all I am not from Dubai. I am an Indian from Mumbai. I study in Dubai.

Well , if I have got my facts correct then N.Korea is more of a threat to the U.S and Japan than Dubai or India. I am totally against N.Korea being a threat to the U.S. I may not live in America but I have relatives in the States and I don't want them getting bombed by N.K nukes. So, I would like to make it clear that its not only the problem of America but its the problem of the whole of Asia. Unfortunately , AMerica has to do the dirty work as America is threatened. Suppose , the N.K regime develops ICBM'S in the late future (actually they already have started developing it. Its called the Taepodong 3 or 4) and start threatening America with it then what would America do?? THe upper hand would clearly belong to N.K as its leader is prepared to lose his capital but is America prepared to lose L.A or any of its cities on the Pacific Coast??

As for CHina.. Screw China. America should be more firm with CHina. Give them a ultimatum . If China tries to interfere then America shouldn't worry. India , Japan and S.korea will help you all out.

Akshay

I am not so sure that the US is the only nation that can or should take action. Pakistan, India, Japan, Australia, Russia, and a host of smaller nations have a vested interest in the NK situation. NK could just as easily threaten and bully those nations with their nukes.

Personally, I am sick and tired of the rest of the world standing by waiting for the US to do something about whatever happens to be the international crisis du jour and then scream, whine and denigrate the US when they do take action. It is way past time when the rest of the world gets their hands dirty and does something to curb the "threats".

No, the other nations of the world put their faith in useless and powerless entities like the UN, the "World Court", and a philosophy of appeasement...none of which has worked. They want they US to go in and spank the bad guy but wont do what is needed themselves.

 

[dilloduck]

Kim Jong Il can destroy a large part of the Asian economy before being taken down. That would also greatly take down our economy. Also, who knows who else would become involved in this conflict, like China.




America isn't nearly as threatened as Japan. DPRK hates Japan much more than it hates us.

Kim Jong Il is not willing to lose power. He has already had 2 million of his citizens die to prevent that from happening. If the US goes to war with DRPK, there is no way that Kim Jong Il will remain in power afterwards. Kim Jong Il is not willing to start a war because that will make him lose power.

China is petrified to have N Korea collapse form the inside. It is apparently convinced that it can keep N Korea contained.

 

[Hamiltonian]

China is petrified to have N Korea collapse form the inside. It is apparently convinced that it can keep N Korea contained.

Agreed, and now that they know there would be nuclear weapons floating arounding in the DPRK if it collapses. Who knows what groups in China could get those nukes.

 

[dilloduck]

Agreed, and now that they know there would be nuclear weapons floating arounding in the DPRK if it collapses. Who knows what groups in China could get those nukes.

If the DPRK collapses or there is revolution, coup d'etat, etc., one would have to think that the next step would be a reunufication effort with the South. Not good for China. Especially with nuclear technology remaining with the Koreans. China has got a hot potato on it's hands.