North Korea says it conducted nuclear test

[Sigaba]

Source is here.

North Korea says it conducted nuclear test
From the Associated Press

8:13 PM PDT, May 24, 2009

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea says it has successfully conducted a nuclear test.

The country's official Korean Central News Agency reported that the test was carried out Monday.

Lee Dong-kwan, a spokesman for the South Korean president, says that a nuclear test may have been carried out in the North.

President Lee Myung-bak has called an emergency security session.

Another report. Source is here.

May 24, 2009
North Korea Conducts Its Second Nuclear Test
By REUTERS

Filed at 11:10 p.m. ET

SEOUL, May 25 (Reuters) - North Korea said it had successfully conducted a nuclear test on Monday, raising the explosive power and level of control of its nuclear device to a new level, its state media said.

"We have successfully conducted another nuclear test on May 25 as part of the republic's measures to strengthen its nuclear deterrent," the North's official KCNA news agency said.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency also quoted a ruling party official as saying that a test was conducted.

YTN Television quoted the South Korean weather agency as saying it detected a tremor indicating a test at 0054 GMT.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak had called an emergency meeting of cabinet ministers over the test, Yonhap said.

North Korea had recently said it would again test a nuclear device -- its first was in October 2006 -- in reaction to tightened international sanctions after it fired a long-range rocket in April.

News of the test hit South Korean financial markets, sending the main KOSPI share index down four percent in late morning trade, while the won dropped more than 1 percent against the dollar.

Back in the early 1990s, when Professor Robert Divine would quip that someday we'd miss the Cold War, I'd scoff inwardly and write something snarky in my notes. Now?

[Pete S]

"North Korea says it has successfully conducted a nuclear test."

Well North Korea says a lot of things.

[Sigaba]

Pete S., I would like to agree with you that this all just more talk from North Korea. However....

Source is here. [The statement is not presently available at whitehouse.gov. What happened to the tech savy administration?]

Not exactly a 3 a.m. phone call to the White house.

But a 2:10 a.m. statement from the White House of President Barack Obama regarding the urgent situation in North Korea. The president calls the situation on the Korean peninsula a matter of "grave concern."

The statement attributed to the president calls North Korea's announced nuclear test and suspected missile test "blatant defiance" of the U.N. Security Council that "directly and recklessly" challenges the international community, increasing regional tensions and deepening North Korea's isolation.

It's unusual for the White House to publish such a statement in the middle of the night. But, of course, in Asia, it's Monday now and not a Memorial Day Holiday.

Shortly before the presidential statement the State Department had issued one also expressing "grave concern" over the reported test.Twelve minutes later the White House produced its own statement on behalf of the president, an obvious escalation of concern and importance.

The full text of the president's statement is below.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Statement from the President Regarding North Korea

Today, North Korea said that it has conducted a nuclear test in violation of international law. It appears to also have attempted a short range missile launch. These actions, while not a surprise given its statements and actions to date, are a matter of grave concern to all nations. North Korea's attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile program, constitute a threat to international peace and security.

By acting in blatant defiance of the United Nations Security Council, North Korea is directly and recklessly challenging the international community. North Korea's behavior increases tensions and undermines stability in Northeast Asia. Such provocations will only serve to deepen North Korea's isolation. It will not find international acceptance unless it abandons its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.

The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants action by the international community. We have been and will continue working with our allies and partners in the Six-Party Talks as well as other members of the U.N. Security Council in the days ahead. ###

[Pete S]

Originally Posted by Brush Okie

Short story, this is a reality check for the current administration and they are lost on what to do or say. Just my opinion and I hope I am wrong.

It's not such a nice world after all Mr. President.

It will take nuclear strike on a neighbor or invasion of the South for POTUS to do anything of substance.

He will most likely differ to the UN for any actions.
Not necessarily a bad thing, except that they won't do anything of substance either.

[Fiercely Loyal]

HMMM.... Thinking Pete has the POTUS down pat. Barring troop movement into S. Korea or a missile strike launched I do not think we are going to do anything. Who wants new deployments to Korea (in addition to our current rotations)? Not me. Lets finish Afghanistan, Iraq, Blakans, Phillipines, and all the other hand in the pots places first.

[greenberetTFS]

Originally Posted by Brush Okie

They are probably sitting around texting each other wondering why North Korea is acting this way. After all he is a man of peace and wants to talk all out diffrances out. Short story, this is a reality check for the current administration and they are lost on what to do or say. Just my opinion and I hope I am wrong.

BO,

Good point,and IMHO I don't think your wrong......

GB TFS

[Sdiver]

Well, the USGS confirmed there was a 4.7 quake in N. Korea.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/.../10/130_40.php

Looks as if it's not "All Talk" from the NK's this time. Looks as if this devise worked far better than their fizzle in 2006.

Okay Barry.....what ya gonna do.

[Sigaba]

Source is here.

Russia fears Korea conflict could go nuclear - Ifax
Wed May 27, 2009 4:48pm IST

By Oleg Shchedrov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is taking security measures as a precaution against the possibility tension over North Korea could escalate into nuclear war, news agencies quoted officials as saying on Wednesday.

Interfax quoted an unnamed security source as saying a stand-off triggered by Pyongyang's nuclear test on Monday could affect the security of Russia's far eastern regions, which border North Korea.

"The need has emerged for an appropriate package of precautionary measures," the source said.

"We are not talking about stepping up military efforts but rather about measures in case a military conflict, perhaps with the use of nuclear weapons, flares up on the Korean Peninsula," he added. The official did not elaborate further.

North Korea has responded to international condemnation of its nuclear test and a threat of new U.N. sanctions by saying it is no longer bound by an armistice signed with South Korea at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

Itar-Tass news agency quoted a Russian Foreign Ministry official as saying the "war of nerves" over North Korea should not be allowed to grow into a military conflict, a reference to Pyongyang's decision to drop out of the armistice deal.

"DANGEROUS BRINKMANSHIP"

"We assume that a dangerous brinkmanship, a war of nerves, is under way, but it will not grow into a hot war," the official told Tass. "Restraint is needed."

The Foreign Ministry often uses statements sourced to unnamed officials, released through official news agencies, to lay down its position on sensitive issues.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has condemned the North Korean tests but his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has warned the international community against hasty decisions.

Russia is a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council which is preparing to discuss the latest stand-off over the peninsula.

In the past, Moscow has been reluctant to support Western calls for sanctions. But Russian officials in the United Nations have said that this time the authority of the international body is at stake.

Medvedev told South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who called him on Wednesday, that Russia was prepared to work with Seoul on a new U.N. Security Council resolution and to revive international talks on the North Korean nuclear issue.

"The heads of state noted that the nuclear test conducted by North Korea on Monday is a direct violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution and impedes international law," a Kremlin press release said.