north korea successful nuclear test!

[Kuciwalker]

****.

N. Korea Conducts 'Successful' Underground Nuclear Test

By Blaine Harden
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, May 25, 2009; 3:05 P

TOKYO, May 25 -- North Korea exploded a nuclear device Monday morning, startling the world with its second underground test in three years and vexing the Obama administration, which has said it wants to solve the nuclear impasse with North Korea.

The test, described as "successful" by the communist state's official Korean Central News Agency, escalates a pattern of provocation that this spring has included a long-range missile launch, detention of two U.S. journalists, kicking out U.N. nuclear inspectors, restarting a plutonium factory and halting six-nation nuclear negotiations.

On Monday afternoon, North Korea fired three surface-to-air missiles into the sea, according to South Korea's defense minister, Lee Sang-hee. It was an apparent effort to chase off U.S. spy planes monitoring the nuclear test site, according to Yonhap, the South Korean news agency, which quoted an unnamed South Korean official. The missiles, with a range of about 80 miles, were launched from near a coastal base where last month North Korea launched a long-range missile. In Washington, President Obama accused North Korea of "recklessly challenging the international community" with its nuclear and missiles tests. He added in an early morning statement that "the danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants action by the international community."

"North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile program, constitute a threat to international peace and security," he said.

The test was also strongly condemned by all of North Korea's neighbors in Northeast Asia, including its historic allies China and Russia. The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. EDT on Monday in emergency session to discuss the matter.

North Korea said that its second nuclear test was more powerful and better controlled than its first, which was conducted in October, 2006, and which many experts characterized as a semi-failure.

Early evidence suggests that may be true. The explosion produced a 4.7-magnitude tremor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was measured in South Korea as a 4.5-magnitude quake. The previous nuclear test registered 3.58 on the Richter scale.

...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...052501053.html

[SlowwHand]

We need to do away with North Korea leadership.

[Kitschum]

Why is this a big deal? We already knew they had nukes. We knew they were insincere in their negotiations. We knew they were crazy. Overreacting to North Korea's latest childish antics would only show weakness.

[Traianvs]

Then again, we can't ignore it either. That wouldn't be fair to Iran and other wannabee nukyular powers

[SlowwHand]

UN Security Council condemns NKorea nuke test - 23 minutes ago

Obama: N. Korea 'recklessly challenging' the world - 1 hour ago

[Combat Ingrid]

UN Security Council condemns NKorea nuke test - 23 minutes ago

[RGBVideo]

yeah, way back in 1999 when i was reading the first time in my life about their upcomin ZOMG NUCLEAR WEAPON i bothered to take this seriously

every 2 years, they repeat this and media treats it like it's their first nuke test.

i don't think they've done any nuke tests at all. i think kim simply creates a show for us with TNT or some crappy missiles his dad bought from the russians 30 years ago so nobody would have the balls to do anything about him.

plus it makes him look more powerful, which helps in turning on all the japanese actress chicks he has been kidnapped over the years

[Asher]

He's in poor health anyway. Will die soon.

[SlowwHand]

Hopefully soon enough.

[Kuciwalker]

Why is this a big deal? We already knew they had nukes. We knew they were insincere in their negotiations. We knew they were crazy. Overreacting to North Korea's latest childish antics would only show weakness.

Last time they tested a nuke it didn't work. That's why this is a big deal.

[DinoDoc]

Last time they tested a nuke it didn't work. That's why this is a big deal.

If this "world community" Obama speaks of were serious about doing anything to resolve the situation they would have in the 90's.

[Dinner]

I'm not so sure. After all they did get China and Russia to go along with the resolution and China has been, outwardly anyway, very constructive in the four power talks. If China could be convinced to go along with it, and it might if everyone was pissed off enough, then China might be convinced to slash it's massive subsidies to North Korea. China provides all of its oil, most of its coal, and more then a little food free of charge so it all falls down to convincing China to stop or cut back those "gifts". China's economy depends a lot on exports to the west so if the west threatened that key Chinese interest unless it stops helping North Korea then maybe the Chinese would chose China over Kim Jong Il.

[Kitschum]

Last time they tested a nuke it didn't work. That's why this is a big deal.

That's just imperialist propaganda. Besides, the seismic and chemical data seem to have been inconclusive. It might have been a small bomb, and considering their probable lack of weapons-grade material it is possible they just didn't want to waste it. From 2006 on in dealing with North Korea it had to be assumed that they had nuclear weapons.

It's not a big deal because this is nothing new and there's nothing that can be done about it.

[Krill]

Bye Bye Seoul.

[Heraclitus]

I'm not so sure. After all they did get China and Russia to go along with the resolution and China has been, outwardly anyway, very constructive in the four power talks. If China could be convinced to go along with it, and it might if everyone was pissed off enough, then China might be convinced to slash it's massive subsidies to North Korea. China provides all of its oil, most of its coal, and more then a little food free of charge so it all falls down to convincing China to stop or cut back those "gifts". China's economy depends a lot on exports to the west so if the west threatened that key Chinese interest unless it stops helping North Korea then maybe the Chinese would chose China over Kim Jong Il.

You do realize that if China stops sending its "gifts" the North Korean regime will fall.

No one wants that.