N. Korean Authorities Urge Civilians to Evacuate Near Site of Possible Nuke Test (Breaking)

Headline News Yahooo Japan (in Japanese) JIJI PRESS ^ | 19 August 2006 | JIJI Press, quoting Joongang Ilbo Daily

[AmericanInTokyo]

Reports from Seoul Korea, (daily newspaper Joongang Ilbo in Seoul) via the Japanese Jiji press agency, that South Korean intelligence has intercepted radio messages/communications in North Korea, which were aired last month, to civilians in the Kilju County, Northern Hamgyeong Province area of northeastern D.P.R.K., to evacuate.

The source in the South Korean government said "our interpretation is that following North Korea's underground nuclear blast test, they wish to head off any escape of radiation that would be a threat to the nearby civilian population and are evacuating as such."

[NonValueAdded]

Endofdays?

[NonValueAdded]

DG: Since when did North Korea care about the welfare of its citizens?

RC: I have no doubt they'll round up quite a few citizens to act as guinea pigs to test the radiation effects.

Indeed. Also helps to explain the contradiction of evacuating a province but building a reviewing stand within a few clicks. After all, what's to see with an underground explosion? A "captive audience" makes sense, probably including the engineers who built the test site, but not to risk too many peasants if there are crops to work. Then again, perhaps the purchasers are demanding to see the demo.

Also, what is the probability of using conventional explosives to fake a nuke shot? There is the chance that this is all Kabuki.

[Frank Sheed]

As in this level Delta? Or something not as severe?

THREATCON NORMAL - No threat of terrorist activity is present.

THREATCON ALPHA - There is a general threat of possible terrorist activity against installations, building locations, and/or personnel, the nature and extent of which are unpredictable.

THREATCON BRAVO - There is an increased and more predictable threat of terrorist activity even though no particular target has been identified.

THREATCON CHARLIE - An incident has occurred or intelligence has been received indicating that some form of terrorist action is imminent.

THREATCON DELTA - A terrorist attack has occurred or intelligence has been received that action against a specific location is likely.

[AmericanInTokyo]

BTTT

[AmericanInTokyo]

Bumping thread to the top

[AmericanInTokyo]

Bump!!

[AmericanInTokyo]

Air Force?

[nevergore]

Yep!

[ArrogantBustard]

After all, what's to see with an underground explosion?

A big puff of dust, and a subsidence crater. That's if the nuke goes 'boom' properly, anyway ...

[Earthdweller]

There are lot of global chess moves going on right now. Best for NK not to forget about checkmate.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I think they must be thinking "It's Now Or Never".

Perhaps something that we should also be contemplating, too.

It's a cash shakedown alright but they are proceeding toward the 'line in the sand' no doubt.

We have told them since the 1990s not to cross it.

[AmericanInTokyo]

MAINICHI JAPANESE NEWS REPORTS THAT SOUTH KOREAN MILITARY SPECIALIST TEAM HAS GONE ON 24 HOUR HIGH ALERT MODE (11:30 p.m. Saturday east coast time):

http://www.mainichi-msn.co.jp/today/news/20060820k0000e030020000c.html

(Approximate translation from the original Japanese): Statement is now made tonight, US time, about a South Korean team of specialists (geology) being placed on total alert. The team was activated in the city of Taejon recently, at a special institute for geology/earth studies connect to Army. The team was activated around the missile launches of July, but this shows the strongest movement/reaction by the South Korean army in response to reports the North may actually test a nuke.The report is that there are 30 monitoring stations around the south, and recently new ones have been established by the DMZ. The word of any kind of massive explosion of any kind triggers CTBT reporting procedures to Vienna, Austria.

[AmericanInTokyo]

bump! Ping!

from Yonhap in Korean via Mainichi in Japanese via AiT into English at FR....

[AmericanInTokyo]

bump! Ping!

from Yonhap in Korean via Mainichi in Japanese via AiT into English at FR....

[AmericanInTokyo]

bump! Ping!

from Yonhap in Korean via Mainichi in Japanese via AiT into English at FR....

[AmericanInTokyo]

The correct name of the organization attached to the South Korean Army now on alert--as reported just now in Korea and Japan and now on FR--for a possible DPRK undergrounnd explosion/test, is Korea Institute of Geoscience & Mineral Resources, an ROK state-run organization to monitor seismic tremors on the Korean Peninsula. This is the center from Taejon.

[Earthdweller]

Move time?