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N. Korean nuclear blast probably less powerful than hoped for: Yale scholar By Sam Kim SEOUL, May 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korea apparently failed to achieve desired explosiveness in its second nuclear test, a Yale University professor says, citing seismic readings that have been generated by it. North Korea set off an underground nuclear explosion on Monday, creating a shock that registered 4.52 in magnitude on the Richter scale, according to a Vienna-based anti-nuclear weapons organization. North Korea produced a magnitude of 4.1 in its first test in October 2006, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty says. Jefferey Park, director of the...

(2nd LD) S. Korea joins PSI after N. Korea's nuke test By Lee Chi-dong SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday declared full participation in the U.S.-led campaign aimed at curbing the spread of the weapons of mass destruction and related materials, a day after North Korea conducted its second nuclear test. South Korea made the decision to join the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) following the North's April 5 rocket launch, but it had delayed a formal announcement in consideration of its efforts to resume dialogue with the communist neighbor. Government officials said there was no reason to...

President Barack Obama hit the golf course after marking his first Memorial Day as commander in chief. The president's motorcade took him to Fort Belvoir in Virginia. That's where he went for a game of golf more than a week ago. Obama grabbed his clubs after he participated in Memorial Day observances at Arlington National Cemetery

(News Focus) N. Korea moving fast in timetable of provocative steps By Lee Chi-dong SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's second nuclear test came as no surprise to South Korean officials on Monday, but they said the unpredictable communist nation pulled out its trump card earlier than expected. "North Korea seems to want a speedy game," a senior South Korean government official handling the nuclear issue said. "It seems to be seeking to create a condition favorable to itself as early as possible, rather than dragging its feet." The North, infuriated by the U.N. Security Council's condemnation of its...

Russia confirms North Korea's nuclear test - Summary Posted on : 2009-05-25 | Author : DPA News Category : Europe Moscow - Russia's Defence Ministry on Monday confirmed that North Korea had conducted a subterranean nuclear test. The nuclear explosion had a strength of between 10 and 20 kilotons, Defence Ministry spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky said, according to the Interfax news agency. The detonation was registered in an area some 80 kilometres north- west of the city of Kilchu. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was in Lebanon on Monday expressed concern over the developments.

N. Korea couples nuclear blast with missile launch: source By Sam Kim SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to have test-fired a short-range missile Monday on its east coast after it conducted its second nuclear test, a South Korean source said. The missile, with an estimated range of 130 kilometers, was fired from the coastal site where North Korea launched its long-range rocket on April 5, the source said. The latest launch comes as tension peaks on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea claimed it succeeded in detonating a more powerful nuclear device in its northeastern region. "The...

N. Korea's 2nd nuke test occurred few kilometers from previous test site: weather agency SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's second nuclear test on Monday appeared to have taken place 10-15 km away from the site of the first test in the country's northeast, Seoul's weather agency said. Pyongyang's state media confirmed the country has "successfully" conducted the underground nuclear test but did not say where it took place. The Seoul-based Korea Meteorological Administration said it detected seismic waves from the nuclear test 10 to 15 km away from the 2006 test site around the town of Kilju, North...

<p>This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.</p>

Second nuke test by N. Korea would lead to 'consequences': Bosworth By Lee Chi-dong SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- The senior U.S. nuclear envoy on Friday dismissed North Korea's recent claim that the Obama administration is hostile towards Pyongyang, saying Washington is continuing efforts for bilateral and multilateral dialogue with the communist nation, On a trip here highlighted by the North's renewed threats to bolster its nuclear arsenal, Stephen Bosworth made clear that if North Korea puts its threats into action, it will face "consequences." "If the North Koreans decide to carry out a second nuclear test, we will deal...

Activity at N.Korean Test Sites Intensifies North Korea has been speeding up construction of a new long-range missile test site in Tongchangri, North Pyongan Province. And vehicles and personnel are busily moving around in Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, where the North conducted an underground nuclear test in 2006, showing signs of preparations for another. "The North has recently been speeding up construction at the test site in Tongchangri by deploying more equipment and personnel," a South Korean government official said Wednesday. "We expected the North would complete construction sometime late this year, but it now seems that it could be...

SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea on Wednesday threatened to conduct a second nuclear test unless the United Nations apologises for condemning its rocket launch, sharply raising the stakes in the dispute over its weapons programmes. Unless the Security Council apologises immediately, the North vowed to take what it called additional defensive measures. "The measures will include nuclear tests and test-firings of intercontinental ballistic missiles," its foreign ministry said in a statement on official media. The announcement further raised regional tensions following the North's April 5 launch of a long-range rocket. Pyongyang said it put a peaceful satellite into orbit while...

/begin my excerpts Choson Sinbo: Hints at N. Korean Nuclear Test Points out the 2006 nuclear test was done three months after the Security Council Resolution (Seoul= Yonhap News) Kim Doo-hwan = Choson Sinbo, the newspaper for pro-North Korean group in Japan, which is an unofficial mouthpiece of N. Korea to the outside world hinted on Apr. 24 that N. Korea could carry out nuclear test in response to the (recent) Security Council Resolution condemning N. Korea's rocket launch. The paper also reminded Barak Obama administration of U.S., "If it does not want to repeat the mistake of pushing us...

Coming Soon: Deal With North Korea ... or 2nd Nuclear Test? Officials See Signs of Upcoming Nuclear Test, Other Odd Moves -- but Also of Nuke Deal By JONATHAN KARL and KIRIT RADIA Oct. 9, 2008 — Amid indications the United States is on the verge of a major agreement with North Korea that would take the Asian nation off a list of state sponsors of terror, U.S. intelligence has picked up signs that North Korea may be preparing for another nuclear test, sources say. Satellite imagery over the past two weeks has picked up suspicious activity at a suspected...

/begin my translation N. Korea: Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site Being Restored Smoke detected at various locations around the nuclear test site There are indications that N. Korea is restoring the nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, Kilju, where they conducted the test two years ago, prompting intelligence authorities to pay close watch on the development. A government source said on Oct. 1, "We recently detected smoke coming out of various locations around Punggye-ri nuclear test site. We are closely monitoring to determine if N. Korea is trying to restore the test site." He said, "Specifically, we suspect that the smoke we...

Pro-N. Korea paper: Nuclear tension could spike By JAE-SOON CHANG, Associated Press Writer Wednesday, August 27, 2008 (08-27) 05:21 PDT SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korea's threat to restore its nuclear facilities should not be seen as "empty talk" and the standoff could develop into a crisis similar to the country's first atomic test, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper said Wednesday.

â—† N. Korea says used 2 kg of plutonium in 2006 nuke test: source SEOUL, June 28 KYODO North Korea's declaration of its nuclear programs that it submitted this week states that it extracted a total of around 30 kilograms of plutonium and used 2 kg in the nuclear test it conducted in October 2006, a six-party talks source said Saturday. A nuclear weapon normally requires between 4 and 8 kg of plutonium. There is speculation that North Korea may have declared a smaller quantity to counter rumors that the 2006 nuclear test, which resulted in a relatively small explosion,...

N. Korea marks nuclear test anniversary By JAE-SOON CHANG, Associated Press Writer 11 minutes ago North Korea marked the first anniversary of its nuclear test on Tuesday, with leader Kim Jong Il getting praise for pulling off a "truly great miracle" that sent the reclusive communist country "soaring as a powerful and great" nation. The Oct. 9, 2006, test marked a peak in international concern over the country's nuclear status and prompted the U.S. to soften its policy toward North Korea, paving the way for steps toward a goal of dismantling the Asian country's program. The North's main Rodong Sinmun...

North Korea Prepping Nuclear Weapons Test Defense Officials Tell ABC News 'They've Put Everything in Place' By JONATHAN KARL WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2007 — - North Korea appears to have made preparations for another nuclear test, according to U.S. defense officials. "We think they've put everything in place to conduct a test without any notice or warning," a senior U.S. defense official told ABC News. The official cautions that the intelligence is inconclusive as to whether North Korea will actually go ahead with another test but said the preparations are similar to the steps taken by Pyongyang before it shocked...

/begin my translation N. Korea: Another Nuclear Test Likely in Late Dec. or Early Next Year (SK opposition lawmaker) Kim Jong-il's internal directive, "Act Confidently at 6-party talks as a nuclear power." [2006-11-29 11:34 ] There are reportedly indications that N. Korea would go for another nuclear test in late December or early next year. Chung Hyung-geun, an opposition lawmaker at Intelligence Committee of National Assembly, maintained on Nov. 29, "Various indications have been picked up which show that, if U.S. does not agree to lift economic sanctions, including unfreezing of (N. Korean) accounts at Banco Delta Asia, N. Korea...

North Korea is expected to conduct a second nuclear weapons test, said General B. B. Bell, head of US forces in South Korea. 'I think we can expect further tests as part of its program to develop very provocative weapons,' Bell told a press conference.