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North Korea ready to reprocess spent nuclear fuel into plutonium(DOUBLING NUCLEAR ARSENAL)
AFP ^ | 04/17/05

Posted on 04/17/2005 4:53:13 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster

North Korea ready to reprocess spent nuclear fuel into plutonium


Sun Apr 17, 3:06 AM ET

 Asia - AFP

TOKYO (AFP) - North Korea has halted operations at a nuclear power reactor at the center of an international row, a move that could let Pyongyang reprocess spent fuel to retract plutonium and boost its nuclear arsenal, a press report said.


North Korean workers re-paint a propaganda tower near the truce village of Panmunjom. (AFP/File/Jung Yeon-Je)

The United States will shortly send Christopher Hill, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, to South Korea, Japan and China for talks to cope with the new development in the nuclear stand-off, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun said.

Washington has verified that operations at the five-megawatt reactor in Yongbyon were suspended in April, the influential daily said in a report from Washington quoting sources including US government officials.

The US administration reached the conclusion by analysing satellite pictures and estimating temperatures on the walls of nuclear facilities and amounts of steam coming from boilers at Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, the report said.

Pyongyang could double its nuclear arsenal if it reprocesses 8,000 spent nuclear rods from the Yongbyon reactor as it has claimed to have done before.

The controversial reactor was frozen under a 1994 deal with a US-led consortium which promised to provide the Stalinist state with reactors which produce much less weapons-grade plutonium and heavy oil.

But the North reactivated the reactor in late 2002 after Washington accused Pyongyang of going ahead with a separate, secret nuclear weapons programme based on highly enriched uranium.

The new nuclear stand-off has led to six-nation talks involving the two Koreas, China, Russia, the United States and Japan to end the North's nuclear arms ambitions.

Pyongyang has suspended the negotiations, accusing the United States of hostility, and in February declared that it possessed nuclear weapons for self-defense.

Selig Harrison, a senior researcher at the US Center for International Policy, said after visiting Pyongyang earlier this month that North Korean officials suggested they would start reprocessing the spent fuel rods in late April unless the United States promised not to try to topple the regime of Kim Jong-Il.

Reuters Photo

North Koreans dance as they celebrate the 93rd birthday of their national founder, the late Kim Il-sung, at the Kim Il-sung square in Pyongyang on Friday in this picture released by the Korea News Service on April 16, 2005. JAPAN OUT REUTERS/Korea News Service

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050417/wl_asia_afp/nkoreanuclearus_050417070610


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 6partytalk; nkorea; northeastasia; northkorea; nuke; plutonium; proliferation; reprocessing; seligharrison; threat
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To: Wild Bill 10
"CAMON...you cant really believe this! China could swat nk like a fly, and will if necessary, they both know that."

Can't really believe what? That Beijing is well within range of North Korea's nuclear-capable Tae-po Dong II missiles? That Kim Jong-il is a nutcase who's advocated a scorched-Earth policy on many occasions? Or that China isn't crazy enough to play chicken with a nuclear-armed psychopath?

Regardless of how easily China may be able to steamroll over North Korea, nothing would save Beijing and a few other major Chinese cities from being obliterated in the process.
21 posted on 04/17/2005 8:05:56 AM PDT by NJ_gent (Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.)
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To: Wild Bill 10
"Yeah they will launch their TWO against ALL our allies????"

According to US intelligence estimates, they have between 8 and 10 right now. I've seen (publicly stated) estimates as high as 15 by other intelligence agencies. Seoul and Tokyo would be the first to go. Beijing perhaps the third. That leaves several others if Kim Jong-il decides to try his luck at hitting the shores of the western United States. The estimates on the operational capabilities of North Korea's current nuclear-capable missiles would have them going possibly as far as west coast cities, though that's towards the upper end of the estimates.

Personally, I don't see how that gamble is worth the price of a few million American citizens' lives.
22 posted on 04/17/2005 8:11:26 AM PDT by NJ_gent (Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.)
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To: NJ_gent

I would not belittle The President for a second. So figure this out Mister, the President and us are being belittled by those five hundred and thirty five people. I read the Constitution and don't need a lesson or a daddy. Open your eyes and take a good look at what's going on.


23 posted on 04/17/2005 8:19:48 AM PDT by JOE43270 (JOE43270 America voted and said we are One Nation Under God with Liberty and Justice for All.)
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To: OahuBreeze
Re #20

Many in S. Korea are schizophrenic. They support Roh but hate its consequence. This reminds me of people who never fail to watch a TV drama they swear they hate.

The result is to escape the situation by emigrating. Mush emotional retards.

As for Ambassador Hong, here is the inside story: In 2003, Roh paid a visit to Hong, and had a quiet chat. Since then, the tone of JoongAng Ilbo has been subtly changing. Now. It completely left the conservative camp. Depending on the issue, it is either center or left now. Roh is also forging alliance with Samsung, to which JoongAng Ilbo is affiliated(Hong is (Samsung Chairman) Lee Keun-hee's in-law.) This way Samsung and its affiliated groups can escape government's "persecution." This seems another way of the emergence of business community's unified front against Roh.

Hong was previously imprisoned under Kim Dae-jung for some tax trouble, which was an attempt to rein on conservative major dailies. He has now become a government mouthpiece. I may understand his motive. However, it is a costly mistake which would haunt him for a long time. It is better for him to quit ambassadorship now than forcing himself to continue. At least that is what I will do if I am in his shoes.

Roh now changed his tactics. He decided to take on a facade of pragmatist, making concessions on his economic agenda. He tries to shore up economy, which would boost his popularity and strengthen his political position. To do that, he distanced himself from some hardcore ideologues, who want to hold on to all lefties agenda and implement them now.

However, he still retains some crucial leftist agenda, pro-North policy and anti-American and anti-Japanese stance. And scouring over records of dead collaborators and their descendants, and rehabilitating communist partisans and communists as nationalists and patriots.

Still I think he is playing fire by keeping undermining S.Korea-U.S. alliance and cozying up with China. He is way over his league. I think he is signing his political death warrant.

24 posted on 04/17/2005 8:28:59 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: JOE43270

Please rephrase the response such that bitter, sarcastic ad hominem attacks and non-specific generalizations are replaced by thoughtful responses to things I wrote or additional commentary on the topic at hand. Thanks.


25 posted on 04/17/2005 8:31:56 AM PDT by NJ_gent (Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.)
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To: NJ_gent

I meant what I said and I said what I meant. Shove OFF Mister.


26 posted on 04/17/2005 8:35:27 AM PDT by JOE43270 (JOE43270 America voted and said we are One Nation Under God with Liberty and Justice for All.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Re #24

Correction:
This seems another way of checking the emergence of business community's unified front against Roh.

27 posted on 04/17/2005 8:38:13 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: NJ_gent
According to US intelligence estimates, they have between 8 and 10 right now. I've seen (publicly stated) estimates as high as 15 by other intelligence agencies.

Source? Link?

28 posted on 04/17/2005 8:43:36 AM PDT by FreeReign
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To: AmericanInTokyo

It does not double their arsenal, it allows them to make the bombs so small they can mount them on their long range missiles. It is the final step to full scale Nuclear War and will enable them to nuke our troops in Iraq, and our fleets supplying them.

Yep, last lap...


29 posted on 04/17/2005 8:43:46 AM PDT by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
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To: NJ_gent

On the Asia mainland, the guy who controls the food sets the rules.


30 posted on 04/17/2005 8:50:16 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: TigerLikesRooster

Thanks TLR -- very illuminating and I agree entirely. I only hope it is political and not national suicide Roh is gambling.


31 posted on 04/17/2005 9:01:30 AM PDT by OahuBreeze
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To: TigerLikesRooster
When the heck is NK going to prove that their not bluffing?
Lets see a nuke Test!! Hmmmmmm>?
32 posted on 04/17/2005 9:03:43 AM PDT by MaxMax (GOD BLESS AMERICA)
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To: MaxMax
Re #32

Seems that they are saving it for the last big show before their demise.

33 posted on 04/17/2005 9:11:56 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster

On fourth of July, we would always saved the best fireworks (and in most cases, firecrackers!) for the LAST.


34 posted on 04/17/2005 9:27:11 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (**AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS NOT SO MUCH "WHO" WE STAND FOR, BUT RATHER "WHAT" WE STAND FOR**)
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Re #34

Hi, things are suddenly getting busy in E. Asia. Both Koreas, China, and Japan are all into major activities. It appears that China is in danger of backing itself to a corner. If this continues, China may not be able to get out safely because ordinary Chinese could view "getting out" as "selling out" (to Japan.)

35 posted on 04/17/2005 9:34:43 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: FreeReign
Here and here will have to do for now until I can relocate the estimates published on the state department's website. I misspoke, however. It wasn't a foreign intelligence agency that put the stimate as high as 15; it was the (US) Defense Intelligence Agency - or rather some people from it.
36 posted on 04/17/2005 9:41:15 AM PDT by NJ_gent (Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
"On the Asia mainland, the guy who controls the food sets the rules."

Not for the guy who doesn't give a damn, it doesn't. The people in North Korea have gone through a couple of starvations while Kim Jong-il has diverted international assistance to the military to keep his troops in decent enough shape to maintain their level of threat. He doesn't care about the people starving, and apparently his people don't care enough about starving to rid themselves of him. The only loyalty that man has comes through fear, uncertainty, and doubt. He runs a paranoid operation mildly reminiscent of Stalin. Perhaps that's why people close to him or high up in power continue defecting to China, and why state officials' visits to foreign nations are very strictly regulated by Kim's inner circle.
37 posted on 04/17/2005 9:45:26 AM PDT by NJ_gent (Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster
Still I think he is playing fire by keeping undermining S.Korea-U.S. alliance and cozying up with China. He is way over his league. I think he is signing his political death warrant.

He certainly is playing a very dangerous game.

China however appears to be doing well indeed: they are slowing slicing away at two of our main supports, our allies and our access to resources, in particular oil. They apparently are having quite a bit of success at humint, and likely have a well-developed infiltration of Taiwan ready for major sabotage and other dirty work when the invasion begins.

38 posted on 04/17/2005 10:01:24 AM PDT by snowsislander
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To: snowsislander
Re #38

That is why Bush and his crew bring fight right into the Chinese heartland, by adopting freedom offensive. Galvanizing Chinese people against their regime is more powerful than carrier battle group. If necessary, we should be able to fight ideological offensive as our adversaries(communists) used to do.

39 posted on 04/17/2005 10:08:06 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: TigerLikesRooster
That is why Bush and his crew bring fight right into the Chinese heartland, by adopting freedom offensive. Galvanizing Chinese people against their regime is more powerful than carrier battle group. If necessary, we should be able to fight ideological offensive as our adversaries(communists) used to do.

If President Bush succeeds at that, then I seriously think he will be acclaimed as perhaps our greatest president in terms of foreign policy. Even President Reagan only took on an economically moribund USSR, and whatever else China might be, it certainly is not moribund economically.

As it is, he is doing a fine job of leaving himself a legacy that we can be very proud of in foreign policy.

40 posted on 04/17/2005 10:16:10 AM PDT by snowsislander
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