U.S. officials: N. Korea may be planning 2nd nuclear test

North Korea Forum

POSTED: 10:51 a.m. EDT, October 17, 2006


Story Highlights
• NEW: U.S. envoy: 2nd nuke test would be 'belligerent answer' to world
• NEW: U.S. sees possible signs of preparation for second nuclear test
• North Korea says U.N. sanctions 'declaration of war'
• U.S. officials say China is inspecting trucks bound for North Korea


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- North Korea may be preparing to conduct a second nuclear test, a U.S. official with access to intelligence information said Tuesday.

The official says that activity at a second nuclear site in North Korea is looking very similar to activity seen at another site just before the October 9 nuclear test.

The official said buildings and other structures are being fabricated at this second site, possibly in an effort to hide activities from spy satellites.

"It would not be unreasonable to assume the North Koreans are planning a second test," White House press secretary Tony Snow said Tuesday.

The intelligence official said there are also reports of statements from senior North Korean military officials saying that the government intends to conduct multiple tests.

Activity is also being seen at the site of the confirmed nuclear test, the official said. It's not clear if that activity is cleanup, maintenance or just wrapping up the testing there.

Earlier, government officials in South Korea and Japan said intelligence information pointed to a possible second test.

Earlier, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said in Seoul, South Korea, that another test of a nuclear device would be regarded as North Korea thumbing its nose at the world.

"I think we will all regard a second test as a very belligerent answer on North Korea's part to the international community, and I think the international community will have no choice but to respond very clearly to the DPRK on this," Hill said as he left talks with South Korea's top nuclear envoy.

Pyongyang on Tuesday called the United Nations sanctions resolution approved after the first test a "declaration of war."

North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency that the country wants "peace but is not afraid of war."

The U.N. Security Council resolution "cannot be construed otherwise than a declaration of a war against the DPRK [North Korea] because it was based on the scenario of the U.S. keen to destroy the socialist system," according to a Foreign Ministry spokesman quoted by KCNA.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the U.N. resolution a "clear message" that Pyongyang must "make a new set of calculations" about its nuclear endeavors.

"North Korea cannot endanger the world and then expect other nations to conduct business as usual in arms or missile parts," Rice said Monday.

Rice said a diplomatic avenue must be kept open to North Korea.

The secretary's comments came on the eve of her trip to Asia, where she'll meet with other parties in the six-way talks on how to implement the sanctions.

China to inspect shipments

Earlier in the day, Chinese U.N. ambassador Wang Guangya said his country would inspect cargo bound for and coming out of North Korea. That contradicts statements he made Saturday, hours after the resolution passed, that his country would find it politically difficult to conduct such inspections. China is North Korea's biggest trading partner.

"But inspections is different from interception and interdiction," he clarified Monday. "I think in that area that different countries will do it in different ways."

Nicholas Burns, undersecretary for political affairs, said the United States had received reports that Chinese officials were inspecting cargo in trucks along its 800-mile border with North Korea on Monday.

Burns said Australia also announced that it was barring North Korean ships from its ports, and Japan was mulling further measures.

The Security Council resolution, which passed by a vote of 15-0 Sunday, was in response to North Korea's claim that it had tested a nuclear device last week.

The measure forbids trade between U.N. member states and North Korea in material that may be used for nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and high-end military equipment. It requires Pyongyang not to conduct further nuclear tests or launch ballistic missiles, and it demands that the country abandon all weapons of mass destruction programs.

The resolution also includes a ban on "trade and luxury goods," requires member states to freeze the assets of North Korean entities and individuals, and calls for inspections of cargo traveling from and to North Korea to search for items that may be used in a nuclear or other WMD program.

Burns said the measure has "real teeth."

"These are very tough sanctions, they're among the toughest ever imposed on any country by the United Nations," he said. "And we hope they will convince the North Koreans to recalculate the cost and benefits of what they're trying to do, developing a nuclear weapons program."

U.S. confirms test

An analysis of air samples collected shortly after North Korea declared it had conducted the test confirms it took place, according to the office of the U.S. director of national intelligence.

The analysis detected radioactive debris, indicating the explosive yield was less than one kiloton, said a statement from John Negroponte's office. That is relatively small for a nuclear test.

The first air sample collected after Pyongyang's announcement last week contained no radioactive debris, but a second one did.

CNN's Barbara Starr and Jamie McIntyre contributed to this report.

Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

Hi... as a noobie, thanks for the opportunity :-)

I think North Korea is out of touch to a point but they're no dummies. Iran has no intentions not to develope such weapons and the EU and UN have bent over backwards making concessions, giving them a world stage which has brought respect albiet covered with fear. North Korea is probably impressed and thinks they can enhance their stature as well. They've already thumbed their noses, a second test won't officialy affirm that.

Any diciplinary actions have to have the full backing of China, and to a lesser extent Russia. This has to be emphasized repeatedly above all else: it is effectively in their hands. China will only act if they feel Kim Jong il becomes too big of an embarrasment.

Welcome Steevo

-HECK!

If the US really had the balls they bragged about when invading Iraq, they'd have jumped in and gotten rid of this 38-under-par-playing tool* a long time ago. It almost feels like it's too late, now... and still nothing's occuring.







*Which reminds me, do you know North Koreans are led to believe their president played the lowest-scoring game of golf ever? 38 below. No joke. He got 5 holes in one. Fortunately for me, that's more believable than an invisible man in the sky telling Bush to invade Iraq.

I wonder when England is going to get on the ball and do something about this crazy guy in korea....

Interesting debate now going on in China. There has been three attempted military coups in N Korea over the last couple of decades. Could China succeed in encouraging and supporting such a move against Kim Il-Jong.

And morally do China have a leg to stand on in taking such action, or is this purely strategic interests at work here: N Korea is becoming troublesome to Chinese rise as a superpower?

Euclid you are saying talking has not worked and what the US acting like a spolied brat and ignoring them for eight years has been oh so effective right? fact is the N. Korea were not happy with the 6 nation talks as the US was not going to be included maybe you should think about that.

As for the severe consquences they are the same severe consquences the US have promised UN sanctions thats all they can do.

..

Japan would be my first guess. South Korea next.

-HECK!

I would add Seattle.

Well I don't believe that they have that range yet. Although I would agree with Heck that S.Korea would have a bullseye on it although I think that N.Korea would be wary of hitting a country that would put China in fallout range so you could probably scratch the Japan idea.

nk can have a nuke but if they use them on us or sk then thare well be no more nk, for the US peace keepers 10for10 thats 100 bombs and thats not all of the b1s,2s,subs and ships that can give it to em just the peace keepers will blow them off the planet i think that bomb can cover all of nk
if all of them let go with a can of whoop ass thats a big bang and a big hole.
kim's kidding him shelf