(Breaking) There Has Been A Large Explosion @ North Korean Train Station Which Kim Has Transited

Kyodo News (in Japanese) ^ | 22 April 2004 | AmericanInTokyo

[AmericanInTokyo]

Breaking.

There are reports of a large explosion at a train station in northern North Korea, along the China-DPRK train line. This is the same line that Kim Jong il is taking to return to Pyongyang from Beijing today (last night US time). The explosion occured, 1 p.m. local, at a North Korean train station which is one Kim would have transited also today (yesterday local time). Reports coming in to Japanese news agencies. Could be LP gas, or could be something else.

Link to Japanese Kyodo flash news on this story.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20040422-00000242-kyodo-int

[AmericanInTokyo]

Hmmmmm.

Location: Pyonganbukdo Province, North Korea. Yongchun Station (spelling). (Chinese character: "dragon" and "river"). Station is about 50 kilometers out from DPRK border city of Sinuiju, on the way to Pyongyang. Report was the Kim Jong il would have transited that station (estimating his departure from Beijing) earlier in the day in a special train.

Report initially from South Korean Yonghap news agency from a source in Dandong, China (transit point on North Korean border with China for trains going to/from Pyongyang.)

Smoke now reaching the city of Sinuiju. Breaking.

[dirtboy]

Blast in station after North Korea's Kim passes - report

By Jack Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) - Many people were injured on Thursday when two cargo trains collided and exploded at a North Korean station, hours after leader Kim Jong-il passed through on his way back from China, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said.

[AgentEcho]

Reporting 3000 (yes, 3000) killed or injured!

Æ

[BenLurkin]

I'm guessing that the Red Chinese were rushing fuel into North Korea (must have reached some kind of understanding) and somebody simply didn't manage the rail traffic adequately.

Now . . . why would Red China be rushing fuel into North Korea?

[headsonpikes]

Damn! He survived!

[Izzy Dunne]

Another report here.

[BJClinton]

Already posted two threads ago. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1122462/posts .

However, I do so appreciate your input on East Asian matters, AIT.

[RetiredArmy]

How long before North Korea, the Socialist Democrats or their puppets in the US media start calling this a CIA operation sanctioned by Bush that went bad? Wondering.

[jalisco555]

Now . . . why would Red China be rushing fuel into North Korea?

Because a collapse of the North Korean government would send millions of starving refugees across the Chinese border. When Kim finally falls it will make the problem of reintegrating East Germany look like a Sunday School picnic in the park.

[threat matrix]

That's got to be a typo, right?

[AmericanInTokyo]

RYONGHON can be located on the upper left of the map of Pyongan North Province, near the border city of Sinuiju (Sinhuiju).

[Carry_Okie]

Yup, that's breaking news all righty.

Mayhahp he's now Kim Gone Ill?

[scan59]

Because a collapse of the North Korean government would send millions of starving refugees across the Chinese border. When Kim finally falls it will make the problem of reintegrating East Germany look like a Sunday School picnic in the park.

That, or they're going to finally make a move against South Korea. Kind of far-fetched though, as I believe you are correct about China wanting to keep things stable.

[AmericanInTokyo]

South Korean (R.O.K.) Army was quick to confirm that there has been an explosion.

They did not know the reason yet.

The 3000 dead figure is coming from YTN network (TV) in S. Korea.

It is said Chinese among the dead. Many survivors rushed to Dandong for treatment (this is across the border from North Korea.

Situation described as chaotic.

[F14 Pilot]

Thousands Dead or Injured in N.Korea Rail Blast-YTN

Jack Kim and Martin Nesirky
Yahoo News

SEOUL (Reuters) - Up to 3,000 people were killed or injured when two trains loaded with fuel collided and exploded at a North Korean station Thursday, hours after leader Kim Jong-il had passed through, South Korea (news - web sites)'s YTN television said.

YTN quoted witnesses in its report while South Korea's Yonhap news agency, which spoke of widespread destruction, also said there were thousands of casualties. Neither Yonhap nor YTN gave a breakdown of deaths and injuries.

Yonhap quoted sources in the Chinese city of Dandong that borders the North as saying the explosion occurred around 1 p.m. -- nine hours after Kim's special train was reported to have passed on its way back to Pyongyang after a visit to China.

"The station was destroyed as if hit by a bombardment and debris flew high into the sky," Yonhap said, quoting the unidentified Chinese sources.

The sources said cargo trains carrying gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas collided at Ryonchon station 30 miles south of the border.

Yonhap also quoted a senior Defense Ministry official as saying the South's military -- which eavesdrops on North Korea (news - web sites) -- had heard about the blast through "intelligence channels directed against the North."

There was no immediate suggestion the blast was anything other than an accident. But the explosion came after Kim met China's new leadership during a rare foreign visit to discuss the North's nuclear weapons plans and tentative economic reforms.

North Korea appears to have cut international telephone lines to the area to prevent information about the explosion getting out, Yonhap added. The North appears to have declared a type of emergency in the area.

"We have not yet received official information on the accident. We are trying to confirm the report," a Unification Ministry spokesman said in Seoul. Other officials at various government agencies also had no information.

Yonhap said the sources said people in Dandong were concerned their friends or relatives could have been caught up on the explosion. Traders from both sides criss-cross the border area.

A railway worker on the Chinese side of the Dandong border crossing told Reuters he had not heard of a blast and had seen no signs of any emergency effort under way.

"The closest station to here in North Korea is in Sinuiju (on the border), and I would have heard it. But I didn't hear anything," he said by telephone.

North Korea's official media broke their silence on Kim's three-day trip to Beijing Thursday -- strongly suggesting Kim was safely back in Pyongyang -- but did not mention the explosion. Kim does not travel by air when he does venture outside North Korea.

Residents in Pyongyang said by telephone there was nothing unusual in the capital. North Korean television was broadcasting military songs and music -- standard evening fare.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&e=1&u=/nm/20040422/wl_nm/korea_north_explosion_dc

[Carry_Okie]

Nice map, AIT.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Here is what YTN-TV, Seoul, is running with on its screen. It almost appears as if they have footage. That would be remarkable.

[skinkinthegrass]

Thanks.. :)

I hope..I hope..N.K.'s Great Leader is room Temp...In little tiny pieces. :)

[blackdog]

Oh great, this should make an already paranoid psychotic a whole lot less jumpy.

[lewislynn]

Now . . . why would Red China be rushing fuel into North Korea?

Don't worry about it. "The adults are in charge".

China is our "trading partner" without them you might be forced to buy something made by Americans. < /sarcasm >