North Korea

[NYC]

North Korea Contains Bird Flu Outbreak, U.N. Says
Reuters
Apr. 25, 2005 - North Korea has contained an outbreak of bird flu and the virus was not directly related to a deadly strain which can jump from birds to humans, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Monday.

The FAO said the bird flu outbreak in reclusive North Korea was caused by an H7 strain of the virus which causes severe disease in chickens but is not directly related to the H5N1 strain circulating in other parts of Asia.

That strain of birdflu has killed 52 people in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand and has sparked fears of a global pandemic.

"The virus appears to have been eliminated from the three infected farms by combining culling of 218,000 infected chickens, vaccination of unaffected birds in unaffected poultry houses and strict biosecurity measures," FAO consultant Les Sims said in a statement released in Rome.

China has tightened quarantine controls at its border with North Korea and barred the entry of poultry to prevent the spread of bird flu.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/print?id=700278

[NYC]

NYT Smells N.Korea Quarantine Plan


WASHINGTON -- The New York Times reported Monday that the U.S. government considered submitting a UN resolution "empowering all nations to intercept shipments in or out of the country that may contain nuclear materials or components." The paper said the plan was aimed at North Korea, and would allow the U.S. and other nations to intercept nuclear shipments in the waters off the Korean Peninsula and force down aircraft for inspection.

The paper cited unnamed officials as saying a plan along these lines, which would amount to a quarantine of the Stalinist country, was being pushed by the Defense Department and Vice President Dick Cheney's staff and attracting interest from hawkish figures in the administration.

Some officials said any such plan would be loosely modeled on measures taken by former president John F. Kennedy against Cuba. But the NYT said the main purpose according to officials was to give China the political means to police its border with North Korea, which is a route for shipments of weapons, drugs and counterfeit money, Pyongyang’s main sources of foreign exchange.

The paper said it was unclear whether China or South Korea would support the plan, and all efforts would fail if China was “not a full partner.”

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200504/200504250025.html

[Casey]

U.S.: N. Korea apparently tests missile

Development follows tough language in nuclear standoff




WASHINGTON (CNN) -- North Korea apparently tested a short-range missile Sunday, the Bush administration said, the latest in a string of recent incidents to refocus international attention on the Korean Peninsula's nuclear standoff.

"It appears that there was a test of a short-range missile by the North Koreans and it landed in the Sea of Japan," White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card said on CNN's "Late Edition."

The day before the apparent test, North Korea called President Bush a "hooligan" and said it expected no solution of the international standoff over its nuclear program during the current U.S. administration. (Full story (http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/04/30/northkorea.ap/index.html))

The comments by North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesman followed a White House news conference Thursday at which Bush described North Korean leader Kim Jong Il as a "tyrant" and a "dangerous person." (Transcript (http://edition.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/28/bush.transcript/))

Also Thursday, a Defense Department intelligence official said North Korea has the "theoretical capability" to arm a missile with a nuclear device and strike the United States.

Card said Sunday that the White House was "not surprised" by the apparent missile test.

"The North Koreans have tested their missiles before," he said. "They've had some failures"

Six-nation talks on persuading North Korea to curb its nuclear ambitions -- involving the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia -- have been stalled since last June, after three inconclusive rounds.

"We have to work together with our allies around the world -- especially the Japanese, the South Koreans, the Russians and the Chinese -- to demonstrate that North Korea's actions are inappropriate," Card said. "We don't want the Korean Peninsula to have any nuclear weapons on it."

North Korea has said it will stay away from the nuclear talks until Washington apologizes for comments U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made in January, when she described the communist state as one of the world's "outposts of tyranny."

Resuming the talks gained urgency in February when North Korea said it had developed nuclear weapons and would boycott the talks indefinitely. The North has since threatened to increase its nuclear arsenal and has demanded that the United States drop what it calls a hostile policy.

Sunday, Card described Kim as "not a good leader."

He said North Koreans "are living in poverty -- many in concentration camps. They do not have any exercise of democracy or freedom. They are not allowed to contact the outside world. [Kim] is not the kind of leader that is comfortable with the rest of the world."

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Card portrayed North Korea as a target of U.S. efforts to inspire democracy around the world.

"We're doing everything we can to make sure that the people of North Korea recognize that they're being cheated and denied opportunities that come with freedom and democracy," he said.

[/url]History of testing

U.S. State Department spokesman Curtis Cooper issued a statement saying the missile test apparently took place Sunday.

"We are continuing to look into this," Cooper said. "We are consulting closely with governments in the region. We have long been concerned about North Korea's missile program and activities, and urge North Korea to continue its moratorium on ballistic missile tests."

Sunday's test came one day before the opening of a nearly monthlong United Nations conference on the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. The U.N. convenes the meetings once every five years to review developments under the accord, from which North Korea withdrew in January 2003.

North Korea tested missiles in 2003, and in 1998, it test-fired a missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean.

Japanese officials had no immediate response to reports of Sunday's test. But it is likely to have the biggest political impact in that country, said an international security expert from Harvard University.

"It's going to make the Japanese nervous," Jim Walsh told CNN on Sunday. "And it's going to put pressure on the Japanese prime minister."

Sen. Carl Levin, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said on "Late Edition" that Sunday's test shows the Bush administration's refusal to hold direct talks with Pyongyang is leading to an even greater nuclear threat.

The test, Levin said, is "additional, very discouraging evidence that this administration's policy towards North Korea is failing. We've had a lot of other evidence in the last four years -- the fact that they have renewed their reprocessing program of plutonium; the fact that they're now enriching uranium; and the fact they apparently can now put a nuclear weapon on a missile."

Last week, U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lowell Jacoby testified on Capitol Hill that, according to a U.S. assessment, North Korea has the capacity to arm a missile with a nuclear device and hit U.S. territory.

Such a "two-stage" missile is "assessed to be within their capacity," Jacoby said in response to a question from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a New York Democrat.

The Pentagon later argued that Jacoby was not stating new information but only reiterating his previous statements that North Korea has a "theoretical capability to produce a warhead and mate it with a missile."

"We have no information to suggest they have done so," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said in a statement Saturday.

Walsh said North Korea has never successfully tested a long-range missile or a nuclear device -- much less a combination of the two.

"We are very, very far from that point," he told CNN.

But Levin argued that the danger North Korea presents is mounting. He pointed to an official moratorium on missile testing "that the North Koreans imposed on themselves" toward the end of the Clinton administration "when we were talking directly to the North Koreans."

In addition to the multilateral talks, Levin said, the Bush administration should "talk directly to the North Koreans. That's what's been missing. ... The nuclear threat is increasing from North Korea as a result."

But Sen. Norm Coleman, a Minnesota Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, said North Korea lied to the United States in the bilateral talks during the Clinton presidency.

"On the one hand, we thought we solved the problem, and they were picking our pocket with the other hand, developing nuclear capability," Coleman told CNN on Sunday. "It's not that it's impossible to negotiate with them, it's that it's worthless to negotiate with them because Kim Jong Il is a petty tyrant."

Multilateral talks could make a difference because "China has some leeway on North Korea," Coleman said. "If you bring enough people in who have a stake in what happens, those in the region, you got a better chance of getting something done."

Levin countered that China and South Korea want the United States to hold bilateral talks in addition to the multilateral negotiations.

Sunday's test "was a political act, not a military act," Walsh said, calling it "an attempt to put pressure on the United States, to try to get them to come and talk to the North Koreans."

During his televised news conference Thursday, Bush insisted the six-party talks are working and are the best way to solve the dispute.

"The best way to deal with this diplomatically is to bring more leverage to the situation by including other countries," he said.

http://images.clickability.com/pti/spacer.gif
Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/05/01/northkorea.missile/index.html ("][url=")

[Petronas]

N Korea 'is building more bombs'
Thursday, 9 June, 2005, 04:40 GMT 05:40 UK

North Korea is boosting its arsenal of nuclear weapons, the communist state's Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Gye Gwan, has told the US ABC News network. He said North Korea had enough atomic bombs to protect itself against attack by the US and was building more. He refused to say whether North Korean missiles could reach the US.

US President George Bush has meanwhile said Pyongyang must show it is ready to give up its nuclear weapons programme in a "serious and substantive" way. The BBC's Seoul correspondent, Charles Scanlon, says Mr Kim's statement reveals how deeply North Korea and the US disagree over its weapons ambitions. Six-nation negotiations aimed at getting North Korea to give up its weapons programme have been stalled for over a year. On Wednesday, the Chinese envoy to the UN said Pyongyang might "soon" return to the negotiating table, following talks between US and North Korean officials on Monday.

Mr Kim told ABC News Pyongyang had "enough nuclear bombs to defend against a US attack". Asked whether North Korea had the technology to attack nuclear warheads to its long-distance missiles, he responded: "I want you to know that our scientists have the knowledge, comparable to other scientists around the world."

President Bush has meanwhile told the US Fox News network North Korea must show it is sincere about giving up its weapons programme. He said the US had no immediate intention to refer North Korea to the UN.

US officials have publicly vilified the North Korean system and hinted at coercive measures if it does not scrap its nuclear weapons programme. But they have also made conciliatory gestures, recognising North Korea as a sovereign state and saying they have no intention to attack.

For its part, North Korea claimed earlier this year that it was pushing ahead with its development of nuclear weapons, but it now says it is prepared to return to the six-party talks. Analysts believe the North has been raising the stakes to try to get the best possible deal, without trying to provoke all-out confrontation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4075586.stm

[NYer]

All you ever wanted to know about North Korea but were afraid to ask ...

DPRK FAQ

http://www.korea-dpr.com/faq.htm

It's NOT a parody I tell you!

http://www.keele.ac.uk/socs/ks35/kim_jong_il.jpg

[NYer]

Supernotes Update: Feds Break N. Korean-IRA Plot to Take Down US Economy

Never accuse the North of not fighting above its weight or thinking big. In the process, it has cemented the most recent credible evidence of its cooperation with international terrorists, which might prove troublesome for that pesky terrorism list. Via the Times of London (also reported in Yonhap):

ONE of Ireland’s most famous revolutionaries could face 20 years in an American jail for his alleged role in a communist plot to wreck the dollar. Sean Garland, president of the Workers’ Party and alleged leader of the Official IRA, was arrested on Friday evening as he was preparing to deliver the keynote speech at his party’s annual conference in Belfast. The US Government is seeking his extradition, arguing that he and others have “engaged in buying, transporting and either passing as genuine or reselling large quantities of high-quality counterfeit $100 notes”.

It further alleges that Mr Garland “arranged with North Korean agencies for the purchase of quantities of notes and enlisted other people to disseminate” the money in the UK.
Stories like this are just calculated to win North Korea the lasting affection of governments and newspaper readers everywhere:

The so-called “superdollars” have been tracked for decades by FBI officers. Defectors from North Korea involved in their production have revealed that the secretive communist state intended to flood the world with the near-perfect notes in an attempt to destroy the US economy, a project which shared equal importance with the nuclear missiles programme.
. . . .

One US investigator conservatively estimates the number of “superdollars in circulation in the US alone at $30 million”.

I can't exactly blame them, given that I openly advocate doing exactly the same to North Korea.

The paper also reports that "[i]n 2002 a former KGB agent and two British criminals were jailed by a Birmingham court for their part in distributing the superdollars." I did not know that. Garland himself has quite a colorful background, having been involved in terrorist attacks going back decades. The IRA have even written ballads about the old kneecapper.

http://freekorea.blogspot.com/2005/09/after-talks-economic-warfare.html

[NYer]

North Korean Flood Toll Said to be ten thousand. (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1704430.htm)

Up to 10,000 North Koreans are believed dead or missing in what Pyongyang's official media is describing as the worst flooding in a century, a respected South Korean humanitarian group says.

"About 4,000 people are now listed as missing, and we expect the final toll of dead and missing to reach 10,000," the independent aid group Good Friends said.

North Korea's official media has so far admitted that hundreds of people are dead or missing after the country was battered by heavy rainfall for nearly two weeks from July 10.

Seoul-based Good Friends says the media is now terming the flooding the worst to hit the impoverished country in a century and that a massive relief operation is now under way.

In a statement, the group says despite the urgency of the disaster, North Korean soldiers have been ordered to stay in their barracks and not to help with relief operations because of tension with the outside world over North Korea's recent missile tests.

North Korea's bare hillsides, which have been stripped of tree cover by impoverished residents looking for fuel, are particularly vulnerable to flooding and landslides caused by erosion.

Two weeks of heavy rainfall sent rainwater sweeping unimpeded down deforested hillsides, sending rivers of mud through farms and villages.

The aid group says the worst-hit areas include Sinyang and other counties along the upstream of the Taedong river which runs through the centre of Pyongyang.

It says malaria is now spreading in southern regions.

South Korea's former unification minister Jeong Se-Hyun, who is now leading the non-governmental Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, says North Korea is clearly facing a national crisis.

Damage to the harvest across North Korea sparked concerns that its chronic food shortages may worsen again this year.

Mr Jeong says North Korea, however, cannot bear to ask for help from South Korea or the international community because of tension.

South Korean officials say North Korea earlier rejected an offer of help from South Korea's Red Cross to help cope with the natural disaster.

[uchiuke123]

http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=893166

MIL-N KOREA-MISSILES
N. Korea building new missile bases aiming at Japan -- report

TOKYO, Aug 3 (KUNA) -- North Korea has been building underground missile bases and silos along its east coast to deploy intermediate-range rockets aiming at Japan and US military facilities on the archipelago, media in Seoul said Thursday.

"The new bases clustered along the east coastal line, in particular, are short and medium-range missile bases aiming at Japan and US military installations in Japan," Yonhap News Agency quoted the report by South Korea's state-funded Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security as saying.

About 200 Rodong missiles with ranges of up to 2,200 kilometers and 50 SSN-6 missiles with ranges of 2,500-4,000 km were already deployed in the newly-built bases, the research institute said in its report.

The two underground missile bases were located in the mountainside near the Sino-North Korea border, making them impossible to be attacked unless strikes came across the Chinese border, said the report.

The North Korea's missile capabilities have captured global attention since it test-launched seven missiles into the East Sea on July 5, despite repeated international warnings.

The missiles include a long-range rocket, Taepodong-2, which is believed to be capable of hitting parts of the mainland US. In 1998, North Korea stunned the region by test-firing a Taepodong-1 which flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific.

According to various government documents and press reports, North Korea is believed to have 600 short-range Scud-type missiles and 2,000 Rodong missiles, the report said.

The sales of missiles and missile technologies are also believed to be a major source of revenues for the impoverished country. The research paper said North Korea has annually earned USD 150 million by exporting missiles, missile parts and missile technology.

The main customers of North Korean missiles have been Iran, Libya, Syria, Egypt, and Yemen, which have bought a combined total of 500 Scud-type missiles, the report said. Vietnam and Sudan also bought Scud missiles from the North, it said.

Iran, Pakistan and Libya have purchased 50-100 North Korean Rodong missiles in total, it added.

The research paper also said North Korea has been sell its latest version of the Scud missile for USD 2 million and a Rodong missile for USD 4 million, and the price of the Taepodong-2, the North Korea's most advanced rocket, is estimated to be around USD 20 million. (end) mk.

uchiuke123

[Petronas]

Iran working with N.Korea on missiles
Thu. 03 Aug 2006

North Korea has been working closely with Iran to develop its long-range ballistic missiles, possibly using Chinese technology, and is building large bases to prepare for their deployment, a South Korean state-run think tank said. Communist North Korea is also building new sites near the Demilitarized Zone border for short-range missiles and is deploying missiles with improved precision that can strike most of Japan, the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) said in a report.

"The development of Taepodong-2 is conducted jointly with Iran, and it is possible China's technology is used in the development of the Taepodong-2 engine," said the IFANS report, which Reuters obtained on Thursday. The collaboration is part of an international network, including Pakistan, that made it possible for the impoverished North to develop and deploy missiles despite scarce resources and limited testing, the study said. North Korea fired seven missiles on July 5, including the long-range Taepodong-2, which U.S. officials said failed seconds into its flight and fell into waters between Japan and the Korean peninsula.

Christopher Hill, the top U.S. envoy to talks on the North's nuclear program, said last month one or more Iranians watched the North's missile launch, deepening concerns about the ties between two countries with troubling nuclear capabilities.

The Taepodong-2 is the product of joint efforts with Tehran, coinciding with Iran's development of the Shehab-5 and 6, and "it is highly possible that design and technology from China, which has an arms trade with Iran, were used", the report said.

The North is building a missile command base 50 km (30 miles) north of the Demilitarized Zone for as many as 30 mobile launch pads for the short-range Scud-type Hwasong missiles that can hit military and industrial targets deep in the South, IFANS said. "With the deployment of Rodong and SSN-6 missiles and the pursuit to deploy the Taepodong-2, the North is pushing ahead with the construction of new sites and silos" on the east coast and on the border with China, the IFANS report said.

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8138

[NYer]

Norks may have Second Taepodong 2 missile (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR2006080301928.html) from launch site.


The South Korean daily JoongAng Ilbo reported on Friday the Taepodong-2 missile in Musudan-ri was moved to another location, citing an intelligence official.

But a defense ministry official contacted by telephone said it was too early to say if the missile had been removed.

[Petronas]

North Korea may be preparing nuclear test: media
Aug 17, 2006

Activity at a North Korean facility suggests Pyongyang could be preparing its first test of a nuclear bomb, U.S. media on Thursday cited U.S. officials as saying. But U.S. officials told Reuters they had no new evidence of such a plan, and a diplomatic official in Seoul familiar with the North's nuclear program said he was skeptical of the reports.

ABC News quoted an unidentified senior military official as saying a U.S. intelligence agency had observed "suspicious vehicle movement" at a suspected North Korean test site. A senior State Department official, who was also not identified, told the network, "It is the view of the intelligence community that a test is a real possibility."

CNN reported U.S. military sources said satellite images had shown wire bundles appearing at a suspected test site that could be used to monitor an underground test. It said the wires had not been connected to anything and that it was still unclear if a test was being prepared.

Asked about the media reports, a senior U.S. official told Reuters, "We have no new evidence to support that." Another official, who also declined to be identified, said there was no indication of a threat in the near term. State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos declined to comment on intelligence matters.

South Korean government officials had no comment on the report and the diplomatic source in Seoul said he was not aware of a new intelligence report. "I was not aware of the area mentioned in the report as being a possible site for a North Korean nuclear test," the source said.

ABC said the suspected test site was an underground facility called Pungyee-yok in northeast North Korea. The intelligence was brought to the attention of the White House last week, its report said.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2327466

[Petronas]

Kim throwing another temper tantrum because Al Qaeda is getting more attention than he is? It is good to know that the EU is run by such geniuses:
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said such a test "is always bad news." North Korea Says It Will Stage Nuke Test
October 03, 2006 8:36 AM EDT

North Korea said Tuesday it will conduct a nuclear test in the face of what it claimed was "the U.S. extreme threat of a nuclear war," ratcheting up tensions amid international pressure to return to negotiations on its atomic program. The United States said it would raise the latest statement in a U.N. Security Council meeting, and South Korea raised its security level.

"The government has taken measures to strengthen the security level in relation to the North Korea nuclear test, and has begun discussions with related countries," South Korea's presidential office said in a statement after an emergency meeting.

The statement from Pyongyang gave no precise date as to when a test might occur. "The DPRK will in the future conduct a nuclear test in a condition where safety is firmly guaranteed," the North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, using its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

In an early-morning interview with The Associated Press, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, said the U.S. would bring up North Korea's statement for discussion Tuesday morning in a regular meeting of the U.N. Security Council. "A nuclear test by North Korea would be extraordinarily serious," Bolton said. "The threat is serious enough that we're certainly going to take this action in the council this morning, by raising it."

Pyongyang has said it has nuclear weapons, but has not conducted any known test to prove its claim. South Korea's spy agency has said the North could test a nuclear bomb at any time.

"The U.S. extreme threat of a nuclear war and sanctions and pressure compel the DPRK to conduct a nuclear test, an essential process for bolstering nuclear deterrent, as a self-defense measure in response," said the statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

China, North Korea's neighbor, ally and chief benefactor, had no immediate comment. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso called the North's nuclear test plans "totally unforgivable," and said Japan would react "sternly" if the North conducted the tests, according to Kyodo News agency.

In Finland, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said such a test "is always bad news."

Multilateral talks on North Korea's nuclear program have been stalled for almost a year, with Pyongyang boycotting the six-nation talks in protest over U.S. financial restrictions imposed for its alleged illegal activity, including money laundering and counterfeiting. Efforts to bring the North back to negotiations have taken on added urgency after the communist nation test-fired seven missiles in July, including one believed to be capable of reaching the United States.

Reports have also suggested the North might conduct a nuclear test, citing suspicious activity at a possible underground test site. Many experts believe the North has enough radioactive material to build at least a half-dozen or more nuclear weapons.

The North said Tuesday its ultimate goal is "to settle hostile relations between the DPRK and the U.S. and to remove the very source of all nuclear threats from the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity," accusing the U.S. of posing a nuclear threat in the region. The North, however, said it will "never use nuclear weapons first and strictly prohibit any threat of nuclear weapons and nuclear transfer."

Charles Kartman, who was the lead negotiator with North Korea under the Clinton administration, said last week that North Korea had few other options than saber-rattling. "If they feel they are not getting interaction with us, they tend to do things to get our attention. And the tools that they have are all bad ones," he said. "The missiles, the nuclear program, the military."

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/int?guid=20061003/4521e040_3ca6_1552620061003-1428181269

[Petronas]

Text of N Korea's announcement
Monday, 9 October 2006, 05:05 GMT 06:05 UK

The following is the full text of the announcement carried on North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency as reported on the Reuters news agency:

"The field of scientific research in the DPRK (North Korea) successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions on October 9, Juche 95 (2006) at 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.

"It has been confirmed that there was no such danger as radioactive emission in the course of the nuclear test as it was carried out under a scientific consideration and careful calculation.

"The nuclear test was conducted with indigenous wisdom and technology 100%. It marks a historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the KPA (Korean People's Army) and people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defence capability.

"It will contribute to defending the peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in the area around it."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6032597.stm

[Petronas]

Compare this to the "Trinity" test in July 1945 in New Mexico, with a yield closer to 20 KT.

North Korea (Country threat level - 4): The U.S. Geological Survey stated that it detected an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 on the Richter scale in North Korea at 1035 local time (0135 UTC) on 9 October 2006. The earthquake is believed to be the result of a nuclear explosion of at least one kiloton conducted by North Korea's military. Analysts continue to evaluate the data collected from the incident, and it is not clear if there was one large explosion or a series of explosions. ...

http://www.asigroup.com/HOTSPOTS.asp

[Petronas]

North Korea (Country threat level - 4): The North Korean government stated on 17 October 2006 that U.N. sanctions imposed against it in response to its 9 October nuclear weapons test constituted a declaration of war. The threat comes amid fears that the North Korean military may be preparing for a second nuclear test. Although the U.S. government has not confirmed the possibility of a second test, South Korean government officials have stated that they have detected signs that North Korea may indeed be preparing for an additional nuclear detonation.

http://www.asigroup.com/HOTSPOTS.asp

[Vast]

As Of 1530, 20 OCT
The 38th Security Consultative Meeting Joint Communiqué

October 20, 2006, Washington D.C.

1. The 38th Republic of Korea-United States Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) was held in Washington, D.C. on October 20, 2006. U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and ROK Minister of National Defense Yoon Kwang Ung led their respective delegations, which included senior defense and foreign affairs officials. Before the SCM, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, and the Chairman of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Lee Sang Hee, presided over the 28th ROK-U.S. Military Committee Meeting (MCM) on October 18, 2006.

2. Secretary Rumsfeld expressed appreciation for the continued deployment of the ROK armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and recognized that the ROK armed forces are making a critical contribution to both Iraqi and Afghan reconstruction, helping the respective governments to build a safe and free nation for their people. Minister Yoon assured continuing close consultations between ROK and U.S. forces in this regard. The Minister and the Secretary shared the view that bilateral cooperation between the two countries on the Global War on Terrorism would strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance.

3. The Secretary and the Minister expressed grave concern regarding the North Korean nuclear test of October 9, condemned in the strongest terms the North’s clear threat to international peace and security as well as the stability of the Korean Peninsula, and demanded that North Korea refrain from any further action that might aggravate tensions. Both sides welcomed and expressed their support for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718. Secretary Rumsfeld offered assurances of firm U.S. commitment and immediate support to the ROK, including continuation of the extended deterrence offered by the U.S. nuclear umbrella, consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty. Minister Yoon expressed appreciation for the close cooperation and steadfast support of the U.S. in the face of North Korean intransigence. The Minister and the Secretary observed that their respective Presidents had reaffirmed the shared principle of a peaceful and diplomatic resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue and had agreed to seek a common and comprehensive approach for the resumption and progress of the Six-Party Talks in the ROK-U.S. Summit Talks held on September 14 of this year. Both the Secretary and the Minister shared the view that North Korea should refrain from provocative actions which could worsen the situation. Both sides also urged North Korea to fully implement the Joint Statement of the Fourth Round of the Six-party Talks of September 2005, including North Korean abandonment of all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, its early return to the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and full implementation of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards agreements.

4. The Minister and the Secretary also shared the common understanding that the North Korean missile launches of July 2006 were a provocative action that constituted a threat to stability on the Korean Peninsula as well as international peace and security. Both sides agreed that North Korea’s continued development of WMD and long-range missiles, along with the danger of proliferation, were a challenge to the ROK-U.S. Alliance. Taking note of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1695, both sides demanded that North Korea suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programs and agreed to seek peaceful resolution to this issue.

5. The Secretary and the Minister welcomed the continued development of the ROKU. S. Alliance into a comprehensive, dynamic and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship based on shared values. Both sides concurred that the ROK-U.S. Alliance remains vital to the future interests of the two nations and that a solid combined defense posture should be maintained in order to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. Both sides praised the fact that the capabilities of the ROK-U.S. combined forces remain at peak readiness.

6. The Minister and the Secretary agreed that the Alliance, including the U.S. presence in Korea, continues to ensure security on the Korean Peninsula and stability in Northeast Asia. In this regard, both sides recognized the importance of the United Nations Command. Secretary Rumsfeld reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the security of the ROK and the Mutual Defense Treaty. Minister Yoon further reaffirmed the ROK commitment to mutual defense for the preservation of peace and security.

7. The Minister and the Secretary received reports on the results of the ROK-U.S. Security Policy Initiative (SPI) discussions and expressed satisfaction that, through close consultations, the ROK and the U.S. are making progress both in pending issues concerning realignment of U.S. forces on the Korean Peninsula and in the joint studies on the development of the future ROK-U.S. Alliance. Both sides agreed to continue and to enhance SPI consultations in 2007 based on the accomplishments of the past two years.

8. The Secretary and the Minister expressed satisfaction with the fact that the ROK and the U.S. reached agreement on the Joint Study on the Vision of the ROK-U.S. Alliance based on the common understanding of the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. Both sides also noted that the study determined that the future Alliance would contribute to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, in the region, and globally. They agreed that the Study presents a way forward for the future ROK-U.S. Alliance in response to the changing security environment.

9. The Minister and the Secretary reviewed the results of the Command Relations Study (CRS) including the issue of wartime operational control, which has been carried out in accordance with the agreements reached at the 37th SCM. They highly praised the fact that the ROK and U.S. have agreed to the CRS Roadmap. Both sides agreed to expeditiously complete the transition of OPCON to the ROK after October 15, 2009, but not later than March 15, 2012. The transition will be based on a mutually agreed and reasoned plan. The Military Committee will report progress on the implementation of this plan annually to the SCM. Both sides agreed to begin immediately to develop a detailed joint implementation plan within the first half of 2007 in accordance with the agreed Roadmap. In noting the target year establishment, Secretary Rumsfeld offered assurance that the transition to a new command structure will be carried out while maintaining and enhancing deterrence on the Korean Peninsula and ROK-U.S. combined defense capabilities. He stated that the U.S. will continue to provide significant bridging capabilities until the ROK obtains a fully independent defense capability. The Secretary further noted that the U.S. will continue to contribute U.S. unique capabilities to the combined defense for the life of the Alliance. Both sides pledged their fullest commitment to meeting agreed-to benchmarks and timelines regarding the transition.

10. The Secretary and the Minister reviewed the progress of relocation of Yongsan Garrison and other United States Forces Korea (USFK) bases. Both sides expressed satisfaction that the relocation and return of the bases are proceeding despite some challenges, and agreed to exert greater effort to advance the relocation and return of USFK bases as planned.

11. The Minister and the Secretary noted with satisfaction that the modernization of the air-to-ground training range at Jik-do to ensure conditions for the ROK and U.S. air forces is on track, and Secretary Rumsfeld expressed appreciation for the determined efforts of the Korean government in resolving the issue. Minister Yoon acknowledged that ensuring sufficient and sustained training conditions for USFK to training ranges is of critical importance for combined readiness. Both sides agreed to make the utmost efforts for the early completion of the modernization of Jik-do range so that training conditions for ROK-U.S. combined military forces are guaranteed.

12. The Secretary and the Minister recognized the successful implementation of mission transfers and combined military capability enhancement plans based on the close consultation between the two countries. Both sides also acknowledged positively the successful agreement on the issue of strategic flexibility of United States forces based in Korea which was presented in the Joint Statement of Strategic Consultation for Allied Partnership held in January 2006.

13. Both sides positively recognized the work of the SCM subcommittees (the Security Cooperation Committee (SCC), the Defense Technology and Industrial Cooperation Committee (DTICC), and the Logistics Cooperation Committee (LCC)). They noted that the DTICC had been given increased stature by raising the level of the Co-Chairs to the Under Secretary / Vice Minister Level. They also acknowledged that as the Alliance evolves, the SCM subcommittee structure must be examined and adjusted to meet current needs, and agreed that the SPI would develop recommendations for consideration at the 39th SCM.

14. The Minister and the Secretary concurred that the 38th SCM and the 28th MCM, through intense discussions on issues pertinent to the realignment of the Alliance and the conclusion of the joint studies on the development of the future ROK-U.S. Alliance, strongly supported the continuous development of a future-oriented Alliance. Both sides agreed to hold the 39th SCM at a mutually convenient time in 2007 in Seoul.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2006/10/d20061020uskorea.htm

[keith]

US plans N Korea nuke plant strikes

Sarah Baxter, Washington
November 06, 2006
THE Pentagon is speeding up plans for possible military strikes on North Korea's nuclear program.
US defence officials said detailed planning had begun for precision strikes on nuclear facilities such as the North Korean plutonium reprocessing plant at Yongbyon. The plant is thought to have supplied the plutonium fuel used in an underground nuclear test carried out by Kim Jong-il's pariah regime on October 9.

A Pentagon official said "various military options" for halting North Korea's nuclear program were under consideration. "Other than nuclear strikes, which are considered excessive, there are several options now in place," the official said. "Planning has been accelerated."

According to defence sources, one option includes strikes on Yongbyon by Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from submarines or ships. Precision-guided bombs and missiles could also be delivered by B-52 or B-2 stealth bombers.

Navy Seals and other commandos would be deployed inside North Korea to help blow up facilities such as Yongbyon. It is believed such an operation could set back Mr Kim's nuclear program by 10 years.

North Korea agreed last week to return to disarmament negotiations under pressure from China and UN sanctions. But it also called Japanese officials "political imbeciles" for claiming they would not allow Pyongyang to remain a nuclear power.

A senior US defence official said the US was committed to protecting South Korea and Japan from North Korean aggression, if necessary by using nuclear weapons.

"We will resort to whatever force levels we need to have," the official said. "That nuclear deterrence is in place."

Talk of plans to deal with a nuclear North Korea came as the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran was seen as encouraging apprehensive Arab states to reverse their support for a nuclear-free Middle East and develop atomic technology.

Michael Rubin, an expert on the Middle East at the neoconservative American Enterprise Institute in Washington, said: "Iran and North Korea have shown that non-compliance equals reward."

The UN Security Council is still wrangling over Russian opposition to mild sanctions against Iran, even though President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is defiantly proceeding with Tehran's nuclear enrichment program.

In oil-rich countries such as Saudi Arabia, the benefits of a civilian nuclear power program may be hard to fathom.

David Albright, a nuclear proliferation expert at the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, said: "With Iran moving forward with its nuclear program, it is difficult for the IAEA to say to other nations, 'No, you can't have it', and the United States is not able to stop it."

According to Mr Rubin, America is partly responsible for the rush to acquire civilian nuclear energy. The US has been encouraging developing nations to embrace nuclear power under the global nuclear energy partnership (GNEP), launched by the State Department in February. Robert Joseph, US undersecretary for arms control and international security, said the GNEP aimed to promote clean, renewable energy while maintaining strict controls on non-proliferation.

"We think that would help us to envision a future where we can bring the benefits of nuclear power to the developing world," he said.

But Mr Rubin warned: "The idea that we can keep making concessions to nuclear proliferation and that it won't spread is a fantasy.

"If you cannot answer the question, 'Who is going to be in charge of these countries in 10 years' time?' it is idiotic to help them develop these programs."

The Sunday Times
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20706984-2703,00.html

[Petronas]

From the 2007 Intelligence Summit:
Two large, unexplained explosions in North Korea in 2006 were the results of Chinese missile or special forces strikes to punish Kim Jong Il for getting out of line.

[NYer]

S Korean official says N Korea will miss key nuclear deadlines. (http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/dprk/2007/dprk-071227-voa01.htm)

http://www.rantburg.com/images/surprise.jpg

[NYer]

Lil' Kim gravely ill? (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080909/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_nkorea_1)

http://rantburg.com/Mugshots/kimmiebeer.jpg

[NYer]

Kim may have paralysis (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,420807,00.html) following neurosurgical procedure for stroke.

[NYer]

North Korean Leader Under the Microscope. (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/09/116_30984.html)

Unfortunately, not this guy's microscope.

http://www.acandyrose.com/Stacy_Peterson_File-215-baden111607.jpg