North Korea Under Close Scrutiny
U.S. Says Satellites Show Activity That Might Be Prep For Another Nuke Test
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Play CBS Video Video More North Korean Nuke Tests? As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice seeks to pressure North Korea's neighbors to enforce sanctions, there are indications the North is preparing for more nuclear tests. David Martin reports.
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Video North Korea Talks Tough Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on her way to Asia for a four-nation visit amid worries that North Korea may be preparing to conduct a second nuclear test. Aleen Sirgany reports.
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Video 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 Korean soldiers carrying the North Korean flag and shovels march on the outskirts of the city of Sinuiju along the borders it shares with the Chinese city of Dandong, Oct. 16, 2006. (AP Photo)
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North Koreans participate in a torchlight parade in Pyongyang to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the "Down-with-Imperialism Union" in this image taken from North Korean TV on Oct. 17, 2006. (AP)
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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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A demonstration of the right way to put on gas masks, at a civil defense drill in Seoul, South Korea, on Oct. 16, 2006. (AP)
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Interactive N. Korea: Tests And Threats Follow recent events and learn about this secretive nation's nuclear capabilities.
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Interactive Nuclear Armed World The world's nuclear weapons powers, missile defense and a history of the nuclear weapons age.
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Fast Facts North Korea Learn about the people, economy and history.
"The fact of the matter is that nuclear tests make us respect them less," he said, adding that the North's comments about sanctions were "not very helpful."
U.S. intelligence has concluded that the North Korean device likely used plutonium, as opposed to uranium, in the Oct. 9 test.
U.S. intelligence estimates that North Korea has enough plutonium for six to 10 bombs, but also has the ability to make more, reports Martin.
Under a 1994 deal with the United States made during the Clinton administration, North Korea pledged to freeze its nuclear program, then believed to be based on producing weapons-grade plutonium.
The agreement broke down by 2002 under the Bush administration after revelations of a covert effort by the North to produce highly enriched uranium. Pyongyang soon removed 8,000 spent fuel rods that the International Atomic Energy Agency was monitoring and began to reprocess them into weapons-grade nuclear fuel.
The White House said Tuesday that it wouldn't be surprising if North Korea were to try another nuclear test "to be provocative."
"It would not be a good thing for them, but it certainly would not be out of character," said White House press secretary Tony Snow. "We're not going to discuss any particular matters of intelligence, but if you take a look at the record, I think it is reasonable to expect that the government of North Korea will do what it can to test the will, the determination and the unity of the United Nations."
Asked why it would not be a good thing for North Korea, Snow said, "If they do believe that somehow people are going to give them a pass on this, they're going to find out that they're wrong."
While U.S. officials insist they aren't about to invade, they have taken other steps against North Korea — even before the U.N. resolution — including severing it from the international financial system. That move is believed to have angered the elites that keep Kim in power, and Kim may fear being ousted or possibly even killed.
The North has consistently pressed for direct talks with the United States on the financial sanctions and has refused to attend six-nation disarmament talks until the sanctions are lifted. Along with the United States, the talks include China, Japan, Russia and South Korea.
The Bush administration, wary of rewarding the regime's behavior, has consistently refused to talk directly to the North, insisting the issue is a regional concern and seeking to enlist other countries.
On Tuesday, Rice left for Japan, the first stop on a four-nation trip, amid clear signs of unease in China and South Korea about even the softened sanctions.
China contends that interdicting ships, although permitted in the U.N. resolution, might needlessly provoke the North and discourage it from returning to the six-nation talks. South Koreans worry about a conventional attack by their unpredictable neighbor.
"Sanctions against North Korea should be done in a way that draws North Korea to the dialogue table," South Korean Prime Minister Han Myung-sook said, according to Yonhap news agency. "There should never be a way that causes armed clashes."
©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 29 CommentsListen, you naive liberal------DO NOT THINK FOR A MINUTE-----that N. Korea and Iran won't sell these nuclear weapons to the Terrorists!!! So darling----WE CAN NOT RELAX!!! You can relax all you want, but a Nuclear N. Korea is NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! My gawd---you act like we are talking about SANE people when you talk about N. Korea Kim Jong Il and Iran. Oh yeah---I'm real sure these idiots will stop and think (Not)---My gawd, WHAT A JOKE and HOW NAIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I was referring to the uproar yesterday from the liberal america on cbs site about the new bill the President signed (terrorists trials).
Anyway, i thought that was funny---as i was always told S-E-X was not a bad word.
F-A-R-T is on the ban list?!?!
That scene where the thug has threatens Mick with a pocket knife? And Mick pulls out his hunting knife?
"You call that a knife? THIS is a knife!"
This whole NK thing reminds me of that. They set off a ONE kiloton nuclear bomb. ONE!
The rest of the world's nuclear nations have bombs equal to ONE THOUSAND kilotons or more.
So what are the NKs thinking? What they have could hardly blow up Mayberry. What we have could erase every single square-inch of North Korea from the map!
You call that a nuke? THIS is a nuke!
So I honestly don't understand Kim Jong Ill shaking his phallic member at the rest of the word and declaring war. Pakistan can set off a nuclear *** that would melt Pyonyang.
Is he that dense? Does he really believe his own rhettoric?
After their next nuclear fizzle, they are gonna be worse off. If they go to above-ground testing, they are so getting invaded.
Maybe they should just call it a day.
We need to relax. The Media included. North Korea and Iran don't want nuclear weapons for offensive campaigns. Think about it. Nuclear weapons are not offensive weapons. They are deterrent weapons. They can deter a superpower from invading your country. We created the paranoia so live with it. Can we say "Cold War".
Of course, if North Korea and Iran thought about it they would realize the precarious position they are placing themselves in. God forbid, but if a nuclear bomb ever goes off anywhere, they would immediately be toast. Questions would be asked afterwards.
Just as they said our sanctions would be considered, but Bush did it anyway didn't he!
... But there is not much U.S. officials like chief Korean negotiator Chris Hill can do except issue warnings.
BINGO!! we are helpless, and now that they said they don't care about sanctions and laughed, we have ZERO bargaining chips now thanks to BUSH
...U.S. intelligence estimates that North Korea has enough plutonium for six to 10 bombs,
LOL, is this the SAME "intelligence" we used for IRAQ? ROTFLMAO!!! I just just see "Good job Brownie" heading the new department there.
... Condoleezza Rice launched a diplomatic drive to persuade Asian allies and Russia to intensify North Korea's isolation by enforcing sanctions
Maybe BUSH should have held talks with them like they ASKED many times, so in response to that they decided to do something to make us TAKE pay attention, this was a direct action for that.
That's what STARTED this latest, maybe Condosleazy Rice should have been talking instead to N KOREA to begin with eh!
"One good turn/bomb deserves another", thinks the Koreans.
Maybe the Koreans are out to give evidence to counter the propaganda about the first one being a 'dud'.
By dissing them and denying the Koreans their first nuke test, we foolishly invite another test. LOL
Anyway, if the Russians could have known from day one that the Koreans indeed blasted a nuke, how come the American agents were so slow in knowing?
Intelligence lapse ala-911? Mmmmm
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