Activity At Suspected N. Korean Site
South Korean and U.S. officials are monitoring the construction of a new building and other activities at a suspected North Korean nuclear site, trying to determine if the communist country is planning a second test detonation, news reports said Saturday.
South Korea is keeping a close watch on the movement of trucks and soldiers at the Punggye-ri site in the North Korea's remote northeast, Yonhap news agency reported, citing several unidentified military officials. One official, however, said a second test was "not believed to be imminent."
"We are closely monitoring to see if these are preparations for a second nuclear test," another official was quoted as saying.
South Korea has also detected a new building being erected at the site, the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported, citing unidentified government officials.
Separate U.S. and South Korean studies have detected abnormal radiation in air samples, confirming the North has conducted a nuclear test. The South Korean government has pointed to Punggye-ri as a place where the North most likely conducted the underground blast.
"Intelligence agencies from South Korea and the United States are trying to confirm whether this new building is connected to another nuclear test," an official was quoted as saying.
It was not immediately clear how military officials first spotted the activities at the site. However, the United States and South Korea generally share intelligence information from satellite images.
South Korea's Defense Ministry said it could not confirm the reports.
The U.S. State Department refused to comment. Pentagon spokesman Air Force Maj. David Smith said, "We don't discuss intelligence issues as a matter of policy."
There have been several reports of suspicious activity at Punggye-ri since North Korea's Oct. 9 underground nuclear test. But South Korean officials have said they have received no intelligence reports suggesting another test is imminent.
South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon — the incoming U.N. secretary-general — met with Chinese leaders Friday to discuss sanctions against the North over the test. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it had no information about the outcome of the talks.
Seoul and Beijing have been reluctant to enforce a U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for sanctions on the North, fearing they might aggravate their volatile neighbor and destabilize the region.
China and South Korea are the North's main aid providers and trade partners, and their participation is considered crucial for the success of the U.N. resolution, which bans the sale of major arms to the North and calls for the inspection of cargo entering and leaving the country.
In a report Friday, the World Food Program warned that the U.N. resolution may deter countries from making food donations to North Korea, where millions are believed to have died of hunger in the past decade.
South Korea suspended its regular humanitarian aid of rice and fertilizer to its impoverished neighbor after the North test-fired a barrage of missiles in July. Supplies from China have also shrunk to one-third of last year's levels, the WFP has said.
The United States, meanwhile, reiterated its position that it will not negotiate with the North until the reclusive state returns to six-nation talks on its nuclear ambitions.
North Korea has refused to return to negotiations unless Washington lifts financial restrictions imposed on Pyongyang. It has also been pushing for bilateral talks with Washington.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday that Washington would be willing to hold one-on-one talks with North Korea only if it returns to the six-party negotiations, which also involve South Korea, China, Russia and Japan.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. South Korea is keeping a close watch on the movement of trucks and soldiers at the Punggye-ri site in the North Korea's remote northeast, Yonhap news agency reported, citing several unidentified military officials. One official, however, said a second test was "not believed to be imminent."
"We are closely monitoring to see if these are preparations for a second nuclear test," another official was quoted as saying.
South Korea has also detected a new building being erected at the site, the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported, citing unidentified government officials.
Separate U.S. and South Korean studies have detected abnormal radiation in air samples, confirming the North has conducted a nuclear test. The South Korean government has pointed to Punggye-ri as a place where the North most likely conducted the underground blast.
"Intelligence agencies from South Korea and the United States are trying to confirm whether this new building is connected to another nuclear test," an official was quoted as saying.
It was not immediately clear how military officials first spotted the activities at the site. However, the United States and South Korea generally share intelligence information from satellite images.
South Korea's Defense Ministry said it could not confirm the reports.
The U.S. State Department refused to comment. Pentagon spokesman Air Force Maj. David Smith said, "We don't discuss intelligence issues as a matter of policy."
There have been several reports of suspicious activity at Punggye-ri since North Korea's Oct. 9 underground nuclear test. But South Korean officials have said they have received no intelligence reports suggesting another test is imminent.
South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon — the incoming U.N. secretary-general — met with Chinese leaders Friday to discuss sanctions against the North over the test. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it had no information about the outcome of the talks.
Seoul and Beijing have been reluctant to enforce a U.N. Security Council resolution that calls for sanctions on the North, fearing they might aggravate their volatile neighbor and destabilize the region.
China and South Korea are the North's main aid providers and trade partners, and their participation is considered crucial for the success of the U.N. resolution, which bans the sale of major arms to the North and calls for the inspection of cargo entering and leaving the country.
In a report Friday, the World Food Program warned that the U.N. resolution may deter countries from making food donations to North Korea, where millions are believed to have died of hunger in the past decade.
South Korea suspended its regular humanitarian aid of rice and fertilizer to its impoverished neighbor after the North test-fired a barrage of missiles in July. Supplies from China have also shrunk to one-third of last year's levels, the WFP has said.
The United States, meanwhile, reiterated its position that it will not negotiate with the North until the reclusive state returns to six-nation talks on its nuclear ambitions.
North Korea has refused to return to negotiations unless Washington lifts financial restrictions imposed on Pyongyang. It has also been pushing for bilateral talks with Washington.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday that Washington would be willing to hold one-on-one talks with North Korea only if it returns to the six-party negotiations, which also involve South Korea, China, Russia and Japan.
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The tourist program giving the north 1 million per month must be now stopped according to rice, since it is a "cash cow" for nuclear development, but recall Bush gave Kim Jong 95 million in US tax dollars, while waiving inspections of the reactor. The tourism program is an overture by the south at detente. The monies for the nuclear development just as likely came, or perhaps more than likely, came from Bush. Diplomatic efforts are in disarray.
CBS news got snookered (the video report) regarding new inspections of trucks at the border with China. Those inspections are routine and have been going on for years, as has been widely reported. CBS loses credibility when it puts out propaganda to create the illusion that China is not dragging its feet bigtime. CBS should leave Orwellian history re-writes to Rove and company - and Snow.
That kind of comment is the problem with Washington. You are BACKWARDS! What is the point of an election if not to deal with this kind of situation???!?!?!
Do you think it's more important that your team be in power....or that this situation is dealt with by WHOEVER is in power?
In sports, this is called putting your own stats ahead of the team. WE'RE ON THE SAME TEAM! While you are advocating that we just put your "friends" on the field...the outcome be damned....I would advocate we pay attention to the FIELD SITUATION while we manage who is on the field...let's make the personnel decision in terms of the FIELD SITUATION....which is NORTH KOREA, among other things.