AP: S. Korea: North Can Make 7 Nuclear Bombs

[Eugene]

S. Korea: North Can Make 7 Nuclear Bombs


Thursday October 26, 2006 9:31 AM

AP Photo SEL106

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea estimates North Korea has enough plutonium
to make as many as seven nuclear bombs, according to a Defense Ministry report
disclosed Thursday.

The communist nation is also working to make a small, lightweight nuclear warhead
that can be mounted atop a ballistic missile, the ministry said in the internal
assessment made public by Song Young-sun, a lawmaker from the main opposition
Grand National Party.

The assessment is based on a meeting of top South Korean military officials a day
after the North's Oct. 9 nuclear test.

-snip-

North Korea also has built a nuclear warhead weighing some two to three tons. To be
mounted on a missile, the warhead would need to be less than one ton, the ministry
said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6172185,00.html

[hogwyld]

1. One thing the war mongering press doesn't report

Is that without the gas centrifuges, NK can not sufficiently enrich the plutonium, hence the need for a 2-3 ton warhead as opposed to one weighing 500 lbs.