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(S. Korean)Gov't Confirms 'Non-Nuclear' N. Korean Explosion(3 times bigger than Ryongchon's)
Chosun Ilbo ^ | 09/12/04 | Choi Byung-mook

Posted on 09/12/2004 7:48:16 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster

Gov't Confirms 'Non-Nuclear' N. Korean Explosion

It was reported that there was a massive explosion Thursday around the town of Yongjo-ri, Kim Hyong-jik County, Ryanggang Province. U.S. Department of State, sources familiar with North Korea and the Korean government all confirmed the explosion.

A high-ranking government official said Sunday, “It is true that a large mushroom cloud about 3.5 to 4 km in diameter was observed by a satellite at around 11:00 a.m. Thursday. It was not a nuclear test, but the explosion seemed to be three times bigger than the one that took place during the Ryongchon Station accident,” and added, “Both U.S. and Korean intelligence authorities are investigating what caused the explosion.”

Chong Wa Dae Spokesman Kim Jong-min said, “We noticed the explosion right after it took place and reported it to the president in writing during a National Security Council meeting. But we cannot decide the nature of the accident yet.”

The accident took place in a mountainous region 1,500 meter above sea level around Yongjo-ri, where it is known that there were many munitions factories nearby. In particular, the exact spot of explosion is only 10km away southwest from the Yongjo-ri base for Rodong 1 and 2 missiles and some 30km away from the Sino-Korean border.

There is much talk about the cause of the explosion. The government official said, “If a nuclear test causes an explosion, we can detect it by reading satellite data. Thus, the recent explosion in North Korea was not caused by a nuclear test.” The intelligence authorities assume that an ammunition depot with over 1,000 tons of dynamite or an ammunition car may have exploded, or there may have been a chain explosion of chemical material or a big fire. Some Chinese sources argue that a massive explosion took pace in a munitions factory. Hong Sun-jik, director at the Hyundai Economic Institute said, “Other than the assumption that it may be a simple accident that took place due to old facilities, we cannot exclude the possibility that the explosion may have taken place due to the lack of control of the Kim Jong-il regime, or it may have been connected to a secret feud over the successor of Kim Jong-il following the rumor of death of Kim’s wife, Koh Young-hee.”

Also, some strongly argue that it is not a simple accident because it took place on Sept.9, the North’s foundation day, which is considered a very important national holiday. Others argue that with Korea’s nuclear experiments in the past at issue in the international community, it could be a false explosion by North Korea to intensify the Korea’s nuclear issue. In other words, the North intentionally caused the explosion to deliver a message to the international community.

The government official said, “We will be able to know the exact cause only after North Korea makes an official statement or intelligence authorities announces the results of their analysis.”

(Choi Byung-mook, bmchoi@chosun.com )


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: explosion; kimhyongjik; nknukes; nkorea; northkorea; ryongchon; skorea; yanggang
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Because so much of the NK's stability is based upon internal propaganda, I wonder what the possibility is that the explosion was designed to create internal suspicions of a successful nuclear experiment. We can't be fooled, but the NK populace is fooled over and over again.
41 posted on 09/12/2004 8:48:50 AM PDT by Kaisersrsic
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To: Kaisersrsic
Re #41

They have not made any public announcement of "successful nuke test" over their airwaves.

42 posted on 09/12/2004 8:50:53 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: thoughtomator

Thought, I believe it fits in a B2, maybe a warning shot across the bow ? Who knows.


43 posted on 09/12/2004 9:02:23 AM PDT by taildragger
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Another industrial accident in N Korea.

We need to send John Edweirds and a 1,000 of his fellow snakes, er trial lawyers to sue the hell out of the N Korean leaders.


44 posted on 09/12/2004 9:02:36 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (Kerry = The Wrong Candidate in the Wrong Country at the Wrong Time (post 9/11)!)
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To: RayChuang88

Was the Texas city explosion the one that nearly wiped the town off the map and damaged some houses in Galveston?


45 posted on 09/12/2004 9:05:14 AM PDT by Bogey78O (John Kerry: Better than Ted Kennedy!)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Update:

The magnitude of the blast was 2.6 in Richter Scale.


46 posted on 09/12/2004 9:17:58 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster
The accident took place in a mountainous region 1,500 meter above sea level around Yongjo-ri...

They're assuming it was an accident. We did a conventional explosive test (100 tons of TNT, 0.1 kiloton) just before the first nuclear test (Trinity). Maybe the same thing is going on here.

47 posted on 09/12/2004 9:23:45 AM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Gun-control is leftist mind-control.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster; lacylu; Revel

Thank you for pinging me.


48 posted on 09/12/2004 9:29:38 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny (On this day your Prayers are needed!!!!!!!)
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.


49 posted on 09/12/2004 9:31:31 AM PDT by Mo1 (Why is the MSM calling the Vietnam Vets and POW's a suspected group??)
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To: bigj00

50 posted on 09/12/2004 9:35:49 AM PDT by ASA Vet (Anyone with a FR signup date after Nov 28, 1997 is a Newbie)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Richter Magnitude How many kilograms of TNT would have this much energy?

0	                 0.6	


1.0	               20	  


2.0	               600	                *  Smallest quake people can normally feel


3.0	               20 000   	        *  Most people near epicenter feel the quake
       
                                              *  Nearly 100, 000 occur every year of size 2.5 - 3.0

4.0	               60 000	           *  A small fission atomic bomb

                                              *  Quakes above 4.5 can cause local damage
  
5.0	               20 000 000	    *  A standard fission bomb, similar to the first bomb tested in New 
                                              Mexico, U.S.

6.0	               60 000 000  	  *  A hydrogen bomb;  can cause great damage locally

                                             *  About 100 shallow quakes of size 6.0 every year

7.0	               20 billion	      *  Major earthquake;  about 14 every year

                                             *  Enough energy to heat New York City for 1 year

                                             *  Large enough to be detected all over globe

8.0	               60 billion	      *  Largest known:  8.9 in Japan and in Chile/Ecuador

                                             *  San Francisco destroyed by 8.25 in 1906

9.0	               20 trillion	    *  Roughly the worldÕs energy usage in a year

51 posted on 09/12/2004 9:47:46 AM PDT by michigander (The Constitution only guarantees the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
The accident took place in a mountainous region 1,500 meter above sea level around Yongjo-ri, where it is known that there were many munitions factories nearby... The government official said, "If a nuclear test causes an explosion, we can detect it by reading satellite data. Thus, the recent explosion in North Korea was not caused by a nuclear test."
A munitions factory explosion, cool. The last thing North Korea needs is more munitions. Systemic incompetence, mental errors due to malnutrition, mass suicide, or signs that Pyongyang is building stockpiles for the Last Big Push?

52 posted on 09/12/2004 9:49:00 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Unlike some people, I have a profile. Okay, maybe it's a little large...)
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To: Lijahsbubbe
just what was the general consensus here on FR, about the real cause of the Ryongchon explosion?

My first guess is a special forces operation

53 posted on 09/12/2004 9:53:51 AM PDT by SauronOfMordor (That which does not kill me had better be able to run away damn fast.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Another train? filled with, uh, long cylindrical armaments?

HEAD COUNT ! All Syrian scientists in NKorea not dead raise your hands!


54 posted on 09/12/2004 9:56:19 AM PDT by TomGuy (His VN crumbling, he says 'move on'. So now, John Kerry is running on Bob KerrEy's Senate record.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
"It was not a nuclear test, but the explosion seemed to be three times bigger than the one that took place during the Ryongchon Station accident,” and added, “Both U.S. and Korean intelligence authorities are investigating what caused the explosion.”

3 times larger? That's a big explosion. It's seems like a munitions (Ammo) dump went high order. I bet those dummies in NK do not practice safe munitions storage. You have to store high explosives at a site so they do not cause damage to other facilities if they mass detonate.

Either the North Koreans store massive amounts of ammo in a single location (a bad practice), or they stored high explosives that were too close together - if one site mass detonates - the other locations mass detonate as of consequence.

The United States military has millions of tons of explosives stored throughout the country, but you never hear of such an accident. In contrast, communist nations throughout history have always some bomb dump blow to high heaven because they are sloppy.

55 posted on 09/12/2004 10:02:42 AM PDT by demlosers (52 days left until the Kerry campaign is put out of its misery.)
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To: demlosers
Re #55

Yeah, I am glad that I am not a N. Korean soldier. There are so many things that can kill you. Starvation, disease, work accident, enemy sabotage, to name a few.

56 posted on 09/12/2004 10:07:57 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster; Dog; Coop; Cap Huff; jeffers; AdmSmith
Hi TLR,

Thanks for the ping. I'm sorry I won't be able to add anything to your thread beyond this short note. Mrs. Boot Hill and I are busy rushing to get packed and head out to the Sierra Foothills to see our BRAND NEW GRANDDAUGHTER, our son and wonder daughter-in-law! No details yet on the baby, I'll fill you in when I get back, Tuesday or Wednesday.

--Boot (I'm thrilled) Hill

57 posted on 09/12/2004 10:10:46 AM PDT by Boot Hill (Candy-gram for Osama bin Mongo, candy-gram for Osama bin Mongo!!!)
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To: Boot Hill

Congrats Boot!!!!!!


58 posted on 09/12/2004 10:12:11 AM PDT by Dog
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To: demlosers
So who is lying? NK says it WAS nuclear:

Korean Mushroom Cloud Was Nuclear Test, Says Kim Jong Il!!!
  Posted by maquiladora
On 09/12/2004 12:11:07 PM CDT · 1 reply · 3+ views


thebentinel.com ^
PYONGYANG, North Korea - DPRK leader Kim Jong Il broke North Korea's silence Sunday on the explosion detected in its northern province of Ryanggang, resulting in a mushroom cloud over two miles in diameter. "In view of the danger we face in sharing the globe with an aggressor such as the United States," read Kim Jong on KCNA, "We felt we could no longer sit at the negotiating table while our enemies prepared for invasion on our soil. To prove our sincerity as well as our might, we launched this test of our nuclear arsenal. Let the world take note,...

59 posted on 09/12/2004 10:16:52 AM PDT by TomGuy (His VN crumbling, he says 'move on'. So now, John Kerry is running on Bob KerrEy's Senate record.)
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To: TomGuy

There is an easy way to find out. The U.S. will test that mushroom cloud for radioactivity.


60 posted on 09/12/2004 10:21:30 AM PDT by demlosers (52 days left until the Kerry campaign is put out of its misery.)
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