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Subscribe to RSSAfter Tuesday's nuclear test, questions arose as to whether or not North Korea has advanced to the point where they could reach the continental U.S. with a missile.
An unapologetic North Korea declared Tuesday that it had conducted a test of a nuclear bomb after the detonation was detected by the U.S. Geological Survey.
"On February 12th... we successfully conducted a third underground nuclear test in the northern underground nuclear test site," the Daily NK reported, in a translation of Pyongyang's announcement on the state-run news agency, KCNA.
By conducting the test, the isolated authoritarian regime made good on a Jan. 24 pledge by North Korea's top military organ, the National Defense Commission, in further defiance of admonitions from the international community to cease and desist in its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The test was met with condemnation from around the globe. The White House called it a "highly provocative act" that warrants "further swift and credible action from the international community." Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Beijing was "strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposed" to the move by its neighbor and long-time Communist ally.
South Korea and Japan convened emergency meetings of their top national security officials, while the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting Tuesday, after which it promised to "begin work immediately" to draft a new resolution against the North.
The explosion was registered as a 5.1-magnitude seismic event by the USGS at 9:57 p.m. ET Monday. The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence quickly judged that North Korea had "probably conducted an underground nuclear explosion" with a yield of "several kilotons."
In a statement, President Barack Obama said the test "undermines regional stability, violates North Korea's obligations under numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions, contravenes its [international] commitments … and increases the risk of proliferation" in the wake of what he described as a "ballistic missile launch" by North Korea on Dec. 12.
"North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs constitute a threat to U.S. national security and to international peace and security," Obama said.
U.S. officials have previously told NBC News that North Korea has up to a "few dozen" nuclear weapons that could be fitted on ballistic missiles, far more than had previously been believed.
Obama on Tuesday said that "the danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community," adding that the U.S. would work with the international community to "pursue firm action."
'Vile hostile acts'
In a tit-for-tat that has characterized a diplomatic stalemate for decades, North Korea blamed the United States for forcing its hand.
"This nuclear test was conducted as part of measures to safeguard the country’s security and independence in order to deal with the vile hostile acts of the United States, which violated our Republic’s legitimate right to peaceful satellite launches,” according to the KCNA report.
The comment refers UN Security Council Resolution 2087, passed after to Pyongyang's Dec. 12 rocket launch, heaping sanctions on previous sanctions against North Korea, further deepening the regime's isolation.
North Korean soldiers stand guard on the river bank of the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong on Tuesday.
The resolution called on North Korea to abandon its nuclear program and any weapons and allow verification; to conduct no more launches using ballistic missile technology; and to conduct no more nuclear tests.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the latest test was a "clear and grave violation."
Later, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported that North Korea threatened, citing an unidentified foreign ministry spokesman, to conduct more nuclear tests if the U.S. moves to penalize it for Tuesday's test.
At a disarmament forum in Geneva on Tuesday, a North Korean official said that his country would not change course in the current climate, Reuters reported.
"The U.S. and their followers are sadly mistaken if they miscalculate the DPRK would respect the entirely unreasonable resolutions against it. The DPRK will never bow to any resolutions," Jon Yong Ryong, first secretary of North Korea's mission in Geneva, told the Conference on Disarmament, referring to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
South Korea's government said in a statement that Tuesday's nuclear test, "poses a direct challenge to the whole international community as well as an unacceptable threat to the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia."
It said the government would stand firm in that it "will not tolerate a nuclear North Korea" and added that it will "also accelerate expanding its military capability, including deploying at an early stage its extended-range missiles, currently being developed, which cover all of North Korea."
Major hostilities in the 1950-1953 Korean War ended with armistice, not a peace treaty. Today, North Korean forces and South Korean forces bolstered by about 28,000 U.S. troops remain faced off at the 38th parallel, where the Korean Peninsula was divided.
Between 2003 and 2007, North Korean took party in several rounds of the so-called "Six Party Talks" with South Korea, China, the United States, Russia and Japan, in an attempt to reverse Pyongyang's nuclear weapons development in return for fuel and progress towards normalization of relations. The talks went on hold and then fell apart for good in April 2009 and Pyongyang expelled UN inspectors from the country.
China 'humiliated'
A key unanswered question is what Beijing will do after North Korea's latest move. The long-time Communist ally and neighbor, which has strategic reasons to continue supporting the regime in Pyongyang, nonetheless expressed its strong opposition to the test.
"China has been humiliated," according to Andrei Lankov, a veteran analyst of North Korea based in Seoul's Kookmin Unversity. That could prompt a change in Beijing's approach, he said.
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A North Korean flag flies above the North Korean embassy in Beijing on Feb. 12.
"This time, China explicitly warned North Korea against conducting the test, but they were ignored," Landov added. "A Chinese government newspaper said two weeks ago that in the case of a nuclear test, China might significantly reduce its aid to North Korea."
China is a major source of aid to North Korea and key to keeping its decrepit economy afloat. China is also one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council with the power to veto sanctions.
The United States and other countries have urged China to put pressure on Pyongyang, but it remained to be seen how far Beijing would go to confront its old comrade.
"They are not happy about nuclear adventurism. At the same time though, a collapsing non-nuclear North Korea is far worse than a nuclear but stable North Korea," Lankov said.
North wants U.S. recognition
Professor Yan Xuetong, a top international security analyst at China's Tsinghua University, said "the key to the North Korean nuclear challenge is in the hands of the United States, not China."
"China is certainly opposed to North Korea's latest nuclear test and opposed to North Korea becoming a nuclear power, but the test was aimed at the Unite States with the aim of forcing the U.S. to normalize relations with North Korea, but if the U.S. doesn't want to play the game of trade-off, then there is not much that China can do," he said.
Yan, who closely follows government policy thinking on the issue, argued that "the role of economic sanctions is limited," suggesting China will not stop economic assistance to North Korea because of the latest test.
"What China should do is to act as bridge between North Korea and the United States so that they will agree to a trade-off, with the U.S. granting recognition to the North Korean government in exchange for it giving up its nuclear program," he said.
"If the U.S. views North Korea's nuclear threat with the same seriousness as it views Iran's nuclear threat, then there will be hope for solving the North Korea's nuclear problem," he said.
NBC News staff writers Ian Johnston, Eric Baculinao, John Newland and Arata Yamamoto contributed to this report.
Related:
Analysis: China fears alienating nuclear-armed Kim
N. Korea propaganda video shows US city in flames
Show of force: US, South Korea hold naval drills
This story was originally published on Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:11 PM EST
Leave a Comment:
Last time they had a "test" there wasn't enough iodine to prove anything except, that if it were nuclear, it was not very efficient and obviously they cannot separate Pu 228 for Pu 239.
Iraq had WMD's! NO, and we knew it.
Iran is close to a bomb! NO, and we know it and we know where.
NKorea is just trying to get recognition. If we attack, they cannot harm us directly but they can destroy the Korean economy in hours.
If NKorea had oil or was an "enemy" of Israel, we would have invaded decades ago.
This is as much a Chinese problem and a Korean problem as anything. Besides, Japan made enough weapons grade plutonium at Fukushima Daiichi to build a 40-50 warheads they could use against China or North Korea.
To stop NKorea, we would have to use nuclear weapons in a first strike to cripple their ability to destroy Seoul.
Iran has 151 billion barrels of oil but, that will be over 300 billion, once we invade and do more exploring.
Iraqi oil reserves increased 30% in 2010 and Israel wants a pipeline.....paid by thousands of dead American soldiers.
When will they ever learn? Never unless we shut down the chicken hawks in congress who just purchased more tanks and more fighters we do not need and the Army and Airforce agree.
Prove they have a bomb and then remember, the only thing NKorea could hit is Palin's house.........
Sic our CIA on them, back to the cover boys.
Widdle Kimmie is doing what he is told to do.What a mean looking joker.
We are in a new stage of life as a civilization. We need to get with our friends China, go there populate peace, freedom and confidence in that country now! Of course with a first ever mind blowing combinded military force! Those idiots are going to shorten the life span of everything known. After all the threats, and if you do that's, I hope our government makes the swift and godspeed efforts to settle this once and for all and we don't become the idiots ourselves for letting this continue on any longer than it has. Because our time is very limited!
When are you going to figure it out? China is NOT our friend. They are buying us and they only encourage North Korea.
Two words: Preemptive strike!
Hawkeye, do you really want to go to war again?
windancersong: You really are a wise person and your posts are always spot on. I think the majority of us are always in awe of what you write. I'm thankful for your dedication, your honesty and respect to humanity in your posts because we could use MORE of you in this world! You make a difference. Thank you windancersong!
North Korea has a totalitarianism style of goverment & not an authoritarian style of goverment.
Provocitive....attack attack, send in the troops. Lets let their neighbors deal with it and let fix our country!
They are wanting attention again.Next Obama will cut a check of China's money and U.S. printed money and give it to the North Korean regime.
This happens over and over again no matter what man is in office.
I wish that we would get the heck out of the Koreas and let South Korea stand on their own.
Threat to US security-I don't think so. They lob a nuke our way (or South Korea or Japan) than good bye North Korea. This isn't about North Korea doing anything, it is about them having a weapon. Who the hell are we, or the world, to dictate to them what type of weapons they can have. No one is a threat to us (except China and Russia and the latter isn't much of a threat any more). Accept that they have nuclear weapons and just forget about this sanction bull@!$%#. All sanctions do is hurt the people of the country. Same goes for Iran. Nuclear weapons aren't going away, they will be around until superseded by some new weapon. We would be fools to ever give up ours or our nuclear superiority. These countries want to be in the nuclear club and as far as North Korea goes, they are there so treat them accordingly. Its all about balance of power.
but it's OK for us to have these weapons because we are so good and trust worthy and have never just invaded some other country because we were pissed.
The war machine is giving us this spin to justify themselves...North Korea is no threat to anyone.
Okay America hater. I love our country.You sound just like Obama.
So, given the choice, who would you rather be? Someone who can kick ass if needed,or someone who gets his ass kicked whether he needs it or not? And don't come back with some crap about peace and love etc. There is a goodly portion of this world that isn't willing to walk down that road., and as long as they are not, I want us to be the biggest and the baddest.
You are an idiot...Gavin
Uhmmm...Iraq??
Then the north would move in and just expand into something more of a threat.
Seems the new king is as bad as the old king. Better first strike these nitwits. When they get the long range missiles it will be too late and South Korea will wither before the North's killing machines like fat corn in September.
If something is not said and done tonight by our leader, with swift and dominant action takin' to punish those criminals and that doesn't hurt to many civilians, we my as well wait 3 years + and hope we can still do something positive without sacrificing ourselves,friends and family. USA!
If this idiot wants to try us, let's turn the heat up. More sanctions on North Korea. Make them decide between eating and their weapons. The people think this guy is a god or something close. Let's show them he is not.
The NK government does not suffer with sanctions, their people do. The NK government does not care about their people. When our country is being targeted by another country with nukes, when threats are made and when insane regime leaders are in charge, it is our right and responsibility to remove them. Sanctions do not work. Military force works. Obama needs to stand up and do the right thing.
But I agree on one point. China is not our friend.
Sanctions? are you freaking serious? North Korea obviosuly doesn't care.. and has not cared. so the US Government and United nations puts ALL USA Citizen's lives in danger by playing the lying game.. Tell North Korea to stop immediately or we will bomb them off the face of the freaking planet.. Pretty simple isn't it? They cannot be reasoned with and North Korea will cease to exist if they wish to play the ego game.. Same thing - they should ban Taekwondo in america since the SPORT worships the Korean Flag and also causes psychopathy like MMA sports.. Does America wish to progress, be destroyed or simply play games and make money until it totally collapses.. The current government is worthless if they do not care for the people of the country.
China is their neighbor, and has been slapped in the face by the North Koreans! What will China do? Or are they all hat, no horsie?
China will do nothing...as usual. They always find a way to blame the US for it. China is playing it smart by remaining their ally...they already have nuclear capability and they can definitely reach China's borders.
Everyone else on this planet looks at America with disdain and contempt.Why should not the North Koreans.Nobody respects us anymore.Thank you Obamba.Can't blame this one on Bush.Clinton is the one that send 1/2 a million tons of grain to NK with the understanding they would stop test and forego their missle developement.How did they respond? Did more testing on both.Bush is the one that stopped the funneling of grain to these aholes.
The time to do anything about N. Korea is long past. China will never agree with the US on any sanctions against them or Iran. N. Korea will and has probably helped Iran with their program. What the US needs to do is bring all of our troops home...lock up our borders and set up a missile defense system completely around the country, that is capable of shooting down any nuclear missiles over the airspace of any country firing one in our direction. Then we can tell the rest of those countries to go f**k themselves. Put our people back to work and then you can buy "made in America" products instead of not being able to find them like now while our people can't pay their bills. All of this could be paid for with the money we send to other countries for absolutely nothing.
Obami's to much of a wuss to handle n korea! We need George W. back!
They developed the bomb under Bush. Have fun with that.
To all of you stupid scumbag idiots who re-elected that fur-lined crock of sh*t in DC last November:
1. No matter how much you blame Bush or Global Warming for North Korea, the fact remains that your incompetent nincompoop is our leader and he and his regime have no intention of doing anything to North Korea because they are a bunch of cowards.
2. After serving 13 months in Korea, I know the resolve of the North Korean government. They will try to destroy the United States with nuclear weapons and will launch as soon as they have the ability to do so. They will not hesistate, they will not waiver.
3. They do not fear us. They do not fear retaliation of any kind. They fear no government on earth- and this includes both China and Russia.
4. They are just as much a bunch of terrorists as Osama Bin Laden or the Islamic Republic of Iran.There is nothing they will not try. They would launcvh nuclear or chemical or bioilogical weapons without thought or hesitation.
5. The regime in North Korea is just as dangerous today as the rFascist regimes of Hitler and Mussolini were in the 1930's. They may not hate a race like Hitler, but they hate us... all of us. Black, white, Muslim or Jew, if you call yourself an American, you are their enemy and they wil ltry to kill you whether you are 7, 27, or 87, male, female or in between. They care not if you are straight or gay or Christian. They will launch their missiles the moment they have enough to launch. They will not hesitate or consult.
If anyone out there thinks I am full of sh*t, then you have no idea what the North Korean Government is about, and you do not understand the incompetence of the man you re-elected.
Yes, it will be tomorrow that the North Koreans send hundreds
maybe thousands of nuclear weapons towards the United States. This will kill
all the people in the world and contaminate it into the far future. That is why
we must send in the military reinstated the draft and spends trillion of dollars
invading them tonight. We must have a draft for the next ten years so that we
can maintain one million troops in North Korea.
O’boy since 1996 the North Koreans have had three nuclear
test the best last night was only 10kt or 10 thousand tons of TNT. They have
fired several missiles and only one has even made it in to orbit. The so called
satellite is tumbling out of control.
We have 14 Ohio class ballistic subs on them we have 1,680 nuclear
weapon 400 of which are 300-475kt nuclear weapons and the rest are 100kt. That is
not counting what the Air Force has or what the rest of the navy has.
North Korea is like a spoilt child throwing a tantrum so
that the big children will pay it attention, even china is beginning to get tired
of it.