ID :
58720
Mon, 05/04/2009 - 07:12
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/58720
The shortlink copeid
N. Korea has small nuclear arsenal but lacks deployment ability: U.S. report By Sam Kim
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea possesses "a small nuclear arsenal" but may have yet to develop the capability to deploy weapons, according to a recent U.S. report.
"North Korea has already built a small nuclear arsenal and shows no signs of
being willing to negotiate it away," said the report co-authored by former U.S.
Secretary of Defense William Perry, who served as U.S. Secretary of Defense under
President Bill Clinton from 1994-1997.
But the country, which tested an atomic device in October 2006, "may not have the
ability to deploy nuclear weapons," it said.
The report was published last month by the Council on Foreign Relations, an
independent U.S. think tank based in New York.
U.S. and South Korean officials say North Korea has enough plutonium stockpiled
to create up to six nuclear bombs, but they refuse to categorize it as a nuclear
state.
Experts are split on whether the 2006 nuclear test was a success because it is
believed to have resulted in a yield of just 1kt. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima
produced an explosion of about 15kt.
North Korea recently threatened it would conduct another nuclear test if the
United Nations Security Council fails to withdraw its condemnation of the April 5
rocket launch by Pyongyang.
The report, also chaired by former U.S. National Security Advisor Brent
Scowcroft, urged Washington to engage in "aggressive diplomacy" to revive
multilateral talks aimed at ending the nuclear pursuit.
The negotiations, which also include South Korea, Japan, Russia and China, have
been stalled for months, while North Korea recently declared them "defunct" in
anger over the U.N. action.
"Any chance of success with North Korea and Iran will require aggressive
diplomacy that fully involves the Obama administration in close cooperation with
other relevant international actors," the report said.
"The United States will need to strengthen the resolve of the six-party coalition
... to keep any dismantlement on track," it said, adding such an effort will
require the coordination of "competing interests among coalition members."
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
"North Korea has already built a small nuclear arsenal and shows no signs of
being willing to negotiate it away," said the report co-authored by former U.S.
Secretary of Defense William Perry, who served as U.S. Secretary of Defense under
President Bill Clinton from 1994-1997.
But the country, which tested an atomic device in October 2006, "may not have the
ability to deploy nuclear weapons," it said.
The report was published last month by the Council on Foreign Relations, an
independent U.S. think tank based in New York.
U.S. and South Korean officials say North Korea has enough plutonium stockpiled
to create up to six nuclear bombs, but they refuse to categorize it as a nuclear
state.
Experts are split on whether the 2006 nuclear test was a success because it is
believed to have resulted in a yield of just 1kt. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima
produced an explosion of about 15kt.
North Korea recently threatened it would conduct another nuclear test if the
United Nations Security Council fails to withdraw its condemnation of the April 5
rocket launch by Pyongyang.
The report, also chaired by former U.S. National Security Advisor Brent
Scowcroft, urged Washington to engage in "aggressive diplomacy" to revive
multilateral talks aimed at ending the nuclear pursuit.
The negotiations, which also include South Korea, Japan, Russia and China, have
been stalled for months, while North Korea recently declared them "defunct" in
anger over the U.N. action.
"Any chance of success with North Korea and Iran will require aggressive
diplomacy that fully involves the Obama administration in close cooperation with
other relevant international actors," the report said.
"The United States will need to strengthen the resolve of the six-party coalition
... to keep any dismantlement on track," it said, adding such an effort will
require the coordination of "competing interests among coalition members."
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
