N. Korea Preparing For Another Nuke Test?
U.S. Intelligence Suggests North Koreans Might Test Again
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Nuclear Test Confirmed
Air samples gathered by an Air Force plane confirmed that North Korea set off a nuclear device. There are signs that the rogue nation could commence with another test. David Martin reports.
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North Korea's Wary Neighbors
While China and South Korea support financial and weapons sanctions on North Korea, they have been careful not to disrupt the status quo with their neighbor. Allen Pizzey has more details.
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A protester in front of the government complex building in Seoul, South Korea, Oct. 17, 2006, holds a poster denouncing North Korea's nuclear weapons test. (AP)
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U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill (right) discussed the North Korean situation Oct. 16, 2006, in Tokyo with Kenichiro Sasae, the Japanese foreign ministry's director-general for Asian and Oceania Affairs. (AP)
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Seoul, South Korea, Oct. 16, 2006: a demonstration of the right way to put on gas masks, at a civil defense drill - routine, but feeling more real against the backdrop of the recent nuclear test in North Korea. (AP)
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Pedestrians rush to a shelter during a civil defense drill in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Oct. 16, 2006. The exercise Monday was a routine drill, a monthly reminder to South Korea that it still remains technically in a state of war. (AP)
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North Korea's nuclear weapons program was at the top of the agenda Oct. 17, 2006, for South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun (right) and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov as they met in Seoul. (AP Photo/Pool)
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"We're watching it, obviously, and discussing it with other parties, as well," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "I think it goes to say that it would further deepen the isolation of North Korea and I hope they would not take such a provocative act."
South Korea is aware of signs related to possible preparations for an additional North Korea nuclear test, Yonhap news agency reported, citing unnamed government officials. One official said various intelligence reports were coming in about a possible test, but that it was unclear how reliable they were.
Meanwhile, National Intelligence Director John Negroponte's office confirmed that North Korea conducted an underground nuclear explosion. In a short statement posted on its Web site, Negroponte's office confirmed that the size of the explosion was less than 1 kiloton, a comparatively small nuclear explosion. Each kiloton is equal to the force produced by 1,000 tons of TNT.
That's less than one-tenth the size of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports. That could indicate that North Korea was unable to produce a bigger yield from its weapon.
"Analysis of air samples collected on October 11, 2006, detected radioactive debris which confirms that North Korea conducted an underground nuclear explosion in the vicinity of P'unggye on October 9, 2006," the statement said.
On Friday, a senior Bush administration official told The Associated Press that one test conducted on samples gathered after the detonation found a radioactive gas consistent with a nuclear explosion. At the time, however, U.S. intelligence was not ready to confirm that a nuclear test actually had taken place.
The statement from Negroponte's office provides the first official confirmation from the United States that a nuclear detonation took place, as Pyongyang has claimed.
Meanwhile, North Korea appeared to slip further into isolation, as China — under intense pressure to enforce new U.N. sanctions — inspected cargo trucks bound for its communist ally and stepped up construction of a border fence.
Japan — once a major trading partner with the North Korea — said it was considering further sanctions, and Australia banned the North's ships from its ports.
The Chinese inspections at a border crossing with the North came amid concerns that Beijing would ignore the new U.N. sanctions leveled against the reclusive communist country for its proclaimed nuclear test. China is a major trader with North Korea and its support is key to the success of the new U.N. measures, which call for nations to check cargo leaving and arriving from North Korea.
"Chinese action on cargo inspection appears to have been prompted as much by a fear of reprisal after the U.N. vote as it is by the mandate of the resolution itself," said CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk.
"Chinese diplomats have made clear that they don't expect to participate in inspection of ship cargo, either as part of the voluntary U.N. provision, or as part of the U.S.-sponsored Proliferation Security Initiative," Falk reports, "but the inspection of land-based cargo has been occurring for some time as part of routine security and may increase."
China's customs agency and its commerce and foreign ministries refused to say whether the cargo checks were prompted by U.N. sanctions, but a top U.S. diplomat said the inspections were promising.
R. Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs, said there will be "enormous pressure on China to live up to their responsibility" in enforcing United Nations punishment of its ally, North Korea. "We are all banking on that."
But former State Department official Jack Pritchard says the sanctions so far are not enough to make the North Koreans regret testing, reports Martin.
"It's going to require some other measure of intervention to get the North Koreans to stop from what they're doing," Pritchard told Martin. Sanctions alone are certainly not going to work."
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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See all 95 CommentsIndeed, this UN resolution proves that when the world is united in its action - no nation can remain defiant, good job Amb. John Bolton!
Practically,do you think all this will stop North Korea from selling her nukes to OSAMA BIN LADEN.This is an UNCONVENTIONAL WAR ERA.The way we used to conduct war and diplomacy during WWII won't work now as we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan.It's none of chinese business if North Korea sells her Nukes to OSAMA BIN LADEN,why should and would they care.Believe it or not,North Korea is the best ally of China and whatever she has done is with the full consent and help of China.Because of diplomacy,China herself can't threat United States so has given the FRONT LINE role to North Korea.We Americans need to take care of our safety in our own hands.In this dangerous world,relying on any country like China may result in a big disaster in the form of NUCLEAR ATTACK against us by the NUKES sold to OBL by North Korea.
i am sick and tired of the american people trying to blame our government for this. This problem could have EASILY have been solved from the getgo by CHINA. CHINA can be the only country to take SOLE RESPONSIBLITY for N. Korea obtaining Nuclear weapons. Now they will sell them to the terrorits. If we want to blame anyone in AMERICA for this ----WE SHOULD BLAME OURSELVES----THE AMERICAN PEOPLE----after all, WE are the ones who buy CHINA'S PRODUCTS. Our children and our grandchildren's future now depends on us NOT BUYING CHINA'S PRODUCTS. Now, that China has allowed the North to get nukes---well its only a matter of time before, south korea, japan want them.....China has caused a domino effect and now our children's futures will be about nuclear wars. everytime we buy chinas products we have a hand in the destruction of our children and grandchildren's futures.
You seem to care about United States,but I feel very sad to say that some rich Billionares in our country are so selfish that they don't care about United States or the people at all.Only thing they care about is money which is never and will never be enough for them.The American buisnesses are the ones who have been transfered to China as they don't have to pay too much money on labor like they have to in USA.Nobody can change the mind of these businessmen period.In our society where a wife divorces her husband for making money on the name of alimony an child support and a husband kills her wife for making money on the name of Life Insurance,if we think for the sake of our lives these buisness people will be satisfied on lesser profits,we are doing nothing but fooling oursleves.
To the TV generation adrenaline junkies out there who have have as deep an understanding of this issue as the electronic image on their screens, put a sock in it and try engaging your mind and heart for a change.
As for not moving factories from the USA to China, there are actually tax incentives, courtesty of the GOP, that actually encourage American companies to move manufacturing oversees.
Ford company is goin to lay off about 30,000 employees in five years from USA.It's because they have built the same industry in INDIA.The same Mechanical Engineer they pay about $8,0000 a month in US,they will pay $800 a month in INDIA.Do they care about people in USA loosing their jobs.Hell no.It's just one example.How many things we gonna stop buying due to this reason?
Be prepared to pay higher prices if we boycott Chinese products. That probably includes the computer your typing on.
The US cannot invade or attack North Korea because the troops are stuck in Iraq.
Can't use nukes because then everyone who has them will think it is ok to do the same to their enemy.
Talking and sanctions is the only option right now, other then bombing. Bombing means POW's and the threat of invasion of South Korea. And the beginning of the draft.
The answer is never that simple.
When the sanctions fail to make progress, the only option will be war.
Let's hope that's not something else Bush leaves for the next President to get us out of when he leaves office.
The only real answer is to put a stop to it now.
Just as John Kennedy did with Cuba.
Let the world know we will not accept North Korea with Nukes. Or Iran.
That is the only way to get action.
To put an end to it now.
Anyway you look at it, It's bad for all of us.
Funny,
If it was Denmark or Iceland, who wanted Nukes, would we be as worried?
This is one thing Great about the Chinese people, once you gained their trust and confidence - they become one of your most valuable friends! Remember the early Chinese in American built the railways for progress...looks like China is helping the West build another railway again - the railway for peace and prosperity for a better tomorrow for East & West.
The institute's annual study of global competitiveness says the U.S. economy is the sixth most-competitive in the world, slipping from first place in last year's ranking, a result of mediocre scores for its public finances.
and that my friend---IS THE WAY IT IS!!!!
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