N. Korea May Be Prepping Nuclear Test

Show Of Defiance Comes As U.N. Considers New Sanctions

(CBS/ AP)  North Korea may be preparing for its third nuclear test, a show of defiance as the United Nations considers new sanctions on the dictatorship for conducting an underground nuclear explosion in May, according to a U.S. government official.

North Korea conducted an underground explosion on May 25, its first since a 2006 atomic test. The official, who spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the unreleased information, would not provide details regarding the assessment.

A draft U.N. resolution proposed Wednesday would impose tough sanctions on North Korea's weapons exports and financial dealings and allow inspections of suspect cargo in ports and on the high seas. North Korea has threatened to retaliate if new sanctions are adopted.

The Security Council is expected to pass the resolution because it has the support of Russia and China, two allies of North Korea who have become increasingly fed up with the nuclear and missile tests, reports CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk.

"The council negotiated intensely for two weeks, drafting a resolution with teeth that is sure to provoke some response from North Korea," Falk said.

North Korea already is a pariah to many countries and has been under tough economic sanctions for years. Last month's reported test defied a Security Council resolution adopted after the North's first underground atomic blast in October 2006.

The White House National Security Council would not comment on the assessment of a possible third nuclear test in the works.

"We have come to expect North Korea to act recklessly and dangerously," NSC spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. "But while the world unites to pass a strong new Security Council resolution, it is clear that North Korea's behavior is succeeding only in further isolating itself."

President Barack Obama's special envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, said Thursday that the United States is determined to make sure the North faces serious consequences for its growing missile and nuclear threat.

Bosworth told lawmakers at a hearing that the Obama administration is considering freezing North Korean accounts at banks outside the country. Similar action by the George W. Bush administration infuriated the North and effectively severed it from the international financial system and led to a breakdown in nuclear talks.

But Bosworth also said Mr. Obama wants to talk to Pyongyang, either through the six-nation mechanism or directly.

North Korea has so far spurned the administration's attempts at engagement, Bosworth said. The North will come back to disarmament talks eventually, he said, but not soon.

For now, Bosworth said, North Korea will "suffer consequences if it does not reverse course."

Also on Thursday, CIA Director Leon Panetta said U.S. intelligence agencies are watching North Korea very closely in hopes of detecting or preventing North Korea's sale of nuclear and missile expertise and technology "to anyone willing to pay."

North Korea is a hard target to spy on but "we are making good progress," Panetta said.

The administration's approach to confronting North Korea will be an "important signal" for how it will deal with Iran if it continues to pursue nuclear weapons, he said.

The United States accuses Iran of secretly trying to develop atomic weapons. Iran denies the allegation.

In Brussels, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said there are no indications North Korea is making preparations for a military strike.

Gates says the Pyongyang regime is unpredictable, however, so he does not dismiss the threats.

[jeff-fla]

-- The United States need to plan Attacks on North Korea. We need to have our planes launch strikes on North Koreas's launch bases. We need to pull our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan & send all our American Troops to North Korea. The United States must Attack & win. Hopefully America can completely wipe out North Korea entirely. Hopefully South Korea can take over the whole Korean country & calling it "Korea". America must go to war with North Korea.
Posted by souljam76

As soon as we step foot on North soil, we will be facing Chinese troops. If it was for that, we would have done it years ago. North Korea is a puppet of China.

[I_am_me1953]

by USASTILLONTOP June 12, 2009 4:54 AM PDT

zonkzilla- Now that's funny. Talk about Naive.. You have been watching haven't you? N Korea has ignored eveything Obama has said or warned against. Thye basically laughed in his face
_____________________________

Just like they did with GWB, Clinton, GHWB, Reagan ...

Don't act/think that this is a new problem with NK, it has existed for years.

[I_am_me1953]

From the above article, "A draft U.N. resolution proposed Wednesday would impose tough sanctions on North Korea's weapons exports and financial dealings and allow inspections of suspect cargo in ports and on the high seas. North Korea has threatened to retaliate if new sanctions are adopted."
"The Security Council is expected to pass the resolution because it has the support of Russia and China, two allies of North Korea who have become increasingly fed up with the nuclear and missile tests..."
______________________________

Finally, China and Russia seem to be at odds with NK. Maybe something will finally get done. But you can bet the only reason China and Russia are at odds is because, while NK was a good "friend" withour nukes, that nut Kim Jong Il is just as likely to use them on Russia and China as anyone. And russia and China know it.

[USASTILLONTOP]

zonkzilla- Now that's funny. Talk about Naive.. You have been watching haven't you? N Korea has ignored eveything Obama has said or warned against. Thye basically laughed in his face.

[zonkzilla]

I do not worry about North Korea since President Obama is in charge.
President Obama has proved many times he is capable of handling situations in a way that provides the best possible outcome under the circumstances.
I think the world should continue to protest against NK for the nuclear tests and add sanctions. Hopefully NK will use up their nuclear weapons trying to make a point.
President Obama is very cool under pressure and very smart and surrounds himself with the best of the best so we need not worry.

[USASTILLONTOP]

cs4466- Actually what is confusing is how you liberals think that Obama is doing anywhere near a good job. This has turned into a nightmare.. Just admit you screwed up and lets get on with it already.

[cs4466]

I am so confused.
Posted by myangryelephant at 8:59 PM : Jun 11, 2009

Most neocons are hon. That's why they lost the last two elections so badly.

[mzilikazi-2009]

Did Noth Korea's Kim Yong Nam pay a recent visit to Mugabe in Zimbabwe to deliver steak and shrimp, or was he after something sinister?

houseofexile d o t blogspot d o t com

[souljam76]

The United States need to plan Attacks on North Korea. We need to have our planes launch strikes on North Koreas's launch bases. We need to pull our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan & send all our American Troops to North Korea. The United States must Attack & win. Hopefully America can completely wipe out North Korea entirely. Hopefully South Korea can take over the whole Korean country & calling it "Korea". America must go to war with North Korea.