U.S. not concerned about N. Korea's nuke use, but about proliferation: White House

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, May 28 (Yonhap) -- The imminent concern of the United States is not
North Korea's use of a nuclear bomb against the U.S. or its allies but the
proliferation of its nuclear weapons to terrorists, a senior White House official
said Thursday.
The remarks by National Security Adviser James Jones come just days after North
Korea detonated its second nuclear device.

The test was in heated response, apparently, to U.N. Security Council sanctions
for an April 5 rocket launch that North Korea insists was to orbit a satellite.
Washington and its allies consider it a cover for a ballistic missile test.
"Nothing that the North Koreans did surprised us. We knew that they were going to
do this; they said so. No reason not to believe it," Jones told a National Public
Radio program. "But the imminent threat is the proliferation of that kind of
technology to other countries, and potentially, to terrorist organizations,
non-state actors. And that is, in my view, the most imminent danger."
The North's second nuclear detonation is seen as far more powerful than its first
test in 2006, which experts dismissed as a partial success at best.
Pyongyang is believed to possess several nuclear warheads, although it is not
likely that the North has developed the technology to miniaturize the warheads
for loading on missiles.
Jones' remarks come amid allegations that the Barack Obama administration might
tolerate North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons as long as they are not
spread to terrorists or other states such as Iran or Syria, archrivals of Israel,
one of the strongest allies of the U.S.
Jack Pritchard, president of the Korea Economic Institute, said Tuesday that
Pyongyang "does not now have any intention of giving up its nuclear weapons,
unless something extraordinary occurs in its relationship with other countries."
The former U.S. special envoy for North Korea under the Bill Clinton
administration said, "The real danger about North Korea's nuclear weapons
programs is nuclear proliferation. If we redouble our efforts and focus on
ensuring North Korea is not involved in proliferation, then we don't have to
react hastily to North Korea."
North Korea said it will boycott the six-party talks on ending its nuclear
ambitions, restart its nuclear facilities disabled under a six-party deal and
reinforce its nuclear and ballistic missile arsenal unless the Security Council
apologizes.
Pyongyang also threatened to nullify the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean
War and shun any dialogue with the U.S., citing what it calls hostile policy.
Speaking to a Council on Foreign Relations forum here, William Perry, former U.S.
secretary of defense, also expressed concerns about North Korea's nuclear
proliferation.
"When we are concerned about proliferation -- for example, to North Korea or to
Iran -- we are concerned about the possibility that the nuclear terrorists might
get a bomb from one of those nations, not that North Korea or Iran is going to be
firing a nuclear warhead at us," Perry said. "I do believe nuclear terrorism is a
very serious threat. It's the most likely way a nuclear bomb will end up being
detonated in one of our cities."
In 2003, the U.S. initiated an international effort against the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction that has grown to 95 countries with South Korea's
participation early this week, soon after North Korea's nuclear detonation.
South Korea announced Tuesday that it will fully join the Proliferation Security
Initiative aimed at intercepting vessels and airplanes suspected of trading
weapons of mass destruction, although it had refrained from doing so in the past
so as not to provoke North Korea.
Obama Tuesday welcomed South Korea's full-scale participation in the effort,
which targets mainly North Korea and Iran.
"The president welcomes the Republic of Korea's decision today to join the
Proliferation Security Initiative," spokesman Robert Gibbs said. "By endorsing
the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles, the ROK has joined 94 other
countries in a global effort to prevent the spread of weapons of mass
destruction, their delivery systems, and related materials to and from states and
non-state actors of proliferation concern." ROK stands for South Korea's official
name, the Republic of Korea.
Aggravating already worsening inter-Korean ties, Pyongyang responded by saying
that any effort to interdict North Korean vessels in international seas will be
met with strong military force.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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