Posted on 03/04/2003 3:03:28 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
|
|
| The original Chinese document on this facility | The picture of Lee Chun-Sun and the N. Korean missile |
Comment: The following is the English translation and shortened version of a korean article on the uranium enrichment facility of N. Korea in operation since '89.
It is now revealed that N. Korean uranium enrichment facility is deep under the Chon-Ma Peak, 1,119m high from the sea level. The official name of this facility is Mt. Chon-Ma Powerplant to hide its real function. Two power generators from Kum-Chang Ri Powerplant were installed at this site to provide electricities.
Thanks to this facility, N. Korea now secured enough enriched uranium for two nuclear bombs. We obtained materials from our Chinese sources, containing self-written detailed confession, layouts of the facility and pictures.
In summer of '99, Chinese State Security had an unexpected big catch. They arrested Lee Chun-Sun(age:64), the head of Mt. Chon-Ma Powerplant in N. Korea. As it turned out later, he was not the head of an ordinary powerplant. He was in charge of supersecret N. Korean facility which produces enriched unranium (for nuclear bombs.) At the time, Chinese thought that he sells rare crystals for living. He was arrested while selling rare crystals smuggled from N. Korea.
During the next three months, he refused to talk. When he finally began talking, he revealed secrets which left Chinese shocked. He was the head of the supersecret uranium enrighment facility under Mt. Chon-Ma, and was also a two-star N. Korean general, the deputy head of the Operations Bureau at the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces (N. Korean Defense Ministry.)
According to his confession, "The facility is 30km away from Kum-Chang Ri, inside the tunnel under Mt. Chon-Ma. Earlier American suspicion on possible Kum-Chang Ri nuclear facility was misplaced." He said that Kum-Chang Ri facility is for disposing gas produced at the Mt. Chon-Ma facility. N. Koreans made some mistakes here, letting large amount of gas escape out to the open plain in front of Kum-Chang Ri tunnel. This gas killed the vegetation in this area, turning their color light brown. This was spotted by Americans, who mistakenly concluded that Kum-Chang Ri has a secret underground nuclear facility.
Lee's confession was detailed and very specific. Chinese were later able to verify much of his story from their contacts in N. Korea. He was sent back after this and presumed dead, although it is nearly impossible to prove it. Our sources also informed us that the information gathered in this interrogation was leaked later to some outsiders, which resulted in the purge of seven ethnic Korean agent of Chinese State Security. Lee's confession looks credible, considering the fact that Americans claimed to spot traces of enriched uranium but have been unable to find the more supporting evidences.
The facility's construction has started in '84. The 2nd Division under the Military Engineering Bureau at the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces (N. Korean Defense Ministry) did the construction. It was completed in late '86. The production of enriched uranium started in '89.
The facility produced 1,300MK per day (note: 1,000MK = 1 gram.)
Around October '99, S. Koreans picked up the intelligence on Lee's confession, which was relayed to CIA. CIA asked them to immediately bring Lee Chun-Sun to America. It appears that Lee's confession provided Americans with the firm belief that N. Korea indeed has nuclear warheads.
It is quite possible that American envoy James Kelly brought up the issue of Mt. Chon-Ma facility when he visited N. Korea last October. Experts on N. Korea also believe that Mr. Kelly showed evidences about this facility and that his N. Korean counterpart, deputy minister Kang Suk-Joo had to admit its existence.
I had referenced North Korea's Mt. Chonma here several times on FR about four or five months ago.
It has also been written at length in Japanese sources, i.e. the American teams were very close to discovery of stuff; and little did they know what was a few 'kliks' away in the pine forests. Pine forests, by the way, deteriorating from nuclear radiation waste.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/812594/posts
"Attack on North Korea Betting Pool"
I thought I might have seen this name "Chon-Ma" before. I was not sure, though. I did some search over the internet after I read your reply. I got hold of three references to Chonma.
Archives are so incredible.....thank you JIM!
For pointing this article out on a current thread.
Yea. The wonderful world of archives. I continue to press a few people at work to visit our site and see what I have been trying to describe to them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.