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.
:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<:::
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.
What is everyones thoughts on this? Do you think that they are thumbing their noses at the rest of the world? Will there be a world wide decision to bring disciplinary actions toward North Korea? Should the US be involved in this? I just want to know peoples thoughts, without going into a heated debate of right, or wrong.
:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<:::
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.
What is everyones thoughts on this? Do you think that they are thumbing their noses at the rest of the world? Will there be a world wide decision to bring disciplinary actions toward North Korea? Should the US be involved in this? I just want to know peoples thoughts, without going into a heated debate of right, or wrong.
Honestly... I feel politically raped by all the arguing going on regarding war. It's hard for me to find a position on this at all. It's not that I don't care, it's that I don't know what to believe. If I dismiss anything that could be considered propoganda I am left to conclude that I know nothing. And it's a big waste of energy to take anyone's word for it, especially if they have an agenda. All the information being presented to me is packaged already somehow.
I feel powerless. So I guess I'm trying to say that I will know how I feel when/if the truth (whatever it is) is revealed. Which may not be in my lifetime.
Please pardon my pseudo-intellectuaphilisophicalismysiticality.
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'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
Sayzak said this in post #5 : Honestly... I feel politically raped by all the arguing going on regarding war. It's hard for me to find a position on this at all. It's not that I don't care, it's that I don't know what to believe.
Look at it this way. We have imperfect institutions like the UN and international law and things like the Geneva convention etc. Either we start to abide by international law and take these institutions and rules seriously and try to make them stronger, or we stop with all the pretence and BS and start telling the truth to the public about our foreign policies, which have very little to do with democracy and liberty and freedom and everything to do with protecting our own self-interests.
Iraq was a military and economic strategic war about power and resources. If we believe in real democracy then we should understand the importance of such a war to our way of life and should go to war for that actual reason, and not the BS we were fed.
Dreamzwalker said this in post #8 : I wonder when England is going to get on the ball and do something about this crazy guy in korea....
Well the UK not England has done more than the US ever has. we were part of the talks we worked closely with China to get a solution we assisted in the firt draft resolution and we arned the North that a nuke test would be unacceptable and would be met with severe consquences. Meanwhile back at the White Hoiuse Bush, Condi and Rummy continued to act like a bunch of five year olds and refuse to talk to the North. Face it we have been on the situatin for long time ask yourself what has Bush done? sent Boulton to the UN and get Condi to make a few empty threats.
Well the UK not England has done more than the US ever has. ...and we warned the North that a nuke test would be unacceptable and would be met with severe consquences.
So where are the severe consequences?
What's the point of talking? We don't like where they are headed and they know it. What is there to talk about?
The Clinton administration talked to him. They even got him to make promises. He broke the promises and now we are supposed to talk to him? What is needed is force like a blockade. The only problem is that the country is so distressed by poverty that the stress needed to make Kim capitulate will likely kill everybody else in the process. It's a hard problem.
I don't think that anyone has the gumption to do anything about NK or Iran for that matter. They will have to make the first strike to produce enough world retaliatory gumption.
EUCLID said this in post #11 : What's the point of talking? We don't like where they are headed and they know it. What is there to talk about?
Wow, tought talk. I suggest you get down to the recruiting office immediately and enlist. America needs no-nonsense tought guys like you, and with some weapons training you'll be ready and willing to jump right in and take on the might of the million or so N Korean army. Good luck.
btw - China seems to have a big influence on N Korea and whatever they said to Kim Il-Jong, it worked. N Korea apologised and said they wouldn't do it again.
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?
quote:
China may back coup against Kim
Michael Sheridan, Beijing
16oct06
THE Chinese are openly debating "regime change" in Pyongyang after last week's nuclear test by their confrontational neighbour.
Diplomats in Beijing said at the weekend that China and all the major US allies believed North Korea's claim that it had detonated a nuclear device. US director of national intelligence John Negroponte circulated a report that radiation had been detected at a site not far from the Chinese border.
Wow, tought talk. I suggest you get down to the recruiting office immediately and enlist. America needs no-nonsense tought guys like you, and with some weapons training you'll be ready and willing to jump right in and take on the might of the million or so N Korean army. Good luck.
btw - China seems to have a big influence on N Korea and whatever they said to Kim Il-Jong, it worked. N Korea apologised and said they wouldn't do it again.
You must have misunderstood me. The tough talk is coming from NK and from their adversaries. Obviously talk does not work. In the end, we either stand up to them or we don't. They are tallking tough, but heading down the road to force. Should we just keep talking as they run over us?
You must have misunderstood me. The tough talk is coming from NK and from their adversaries. Obviously talk does not work. In the end, we either stand up to them or we don't. They are tallking tough, but heading down the road to force. Should we just keep talking as they run over us?
Talk did work. China talked, N Korea apologised and promised not to do it again. Although Condi Rice isn't having any of it:
quote:
AGENCIES, MOSCOW
Sunday, Oct 22, 2006, Page 1
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US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cast doubt yesterday on reports that North Korea had pledged to stop nuclear tests and had apologized for the the test on Oct 9, saying it seemed bent instead on escalating the crisis.
10-17-2006 10:38 PM
