North Korea :Seoul's Nuclear Experiments Stoke Arms Race

[cal04]

North Korea Says Seoul's Nuclear Experiments Stoke Arms Race

North Korea warned on Wednesday that a recently disclosed South Korean experiment with uranium enrichment could "accelerate a northeast Asia nuclear arms race," and accused the United States of applying a "double standard" to the nuclear programs of the two Koreas. In North Korea's first public reaction to reports last week of the clandestine experiment four years ago, Han Song Ryol, deputy chief of North Korea's mission to the United Nations, lambasted the United States. But he did not specifically rule out attending a new round of regional talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

"We view South Korea's uranium enrichment program in the context of an arms race in northeast Asia," Mr. Han told the Yonhap news agency of South Korea. "It has become difficult to prevent expansion of a nuclear arms race because of South Korea's test." Last week, South Korea admitted publicly that in 2000 government scientists had enriched tiny amounts of uranium in what it called an "academic" exercise.

On Wednesday, South Korea said it should have reported the uranium enrichment experiment to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency. "We should have reported that uranium was used during this experiment," a senior South Korean Foreign Ministry official told reporters at a briefing in Seoul. South Korea has said that the uranium was enriched to only 10 percent. Last weekend, I.A.E.A. inspectors took a .10 gram sample to Vienna for testing to determine if the enrichment approached bomb-grade levels, or over 85 percent.

South Korea has one of the world's largest nuclear power industries. Nineteen nuclear power plants supply 40 percent of the nation's electricity. It is also seeking to build nuclear power plants in China. Under a 1994 nuclear disarmament accord, South Korea was helping to build North Korea's first two commercially viable nuclear power plants when work was suspended last year as a result of North Korea's violation of the accord. Two years ago, American officials say, North Korea admitted that it was secretly enriching uranium. In January 2003, it expelled I.A.E.A. inspectors and said it started to process stored fuel rods for nuclear weapons material. Since then, it has claimed to have produced "a nuclear deterrent," North Korea's ambiguous phrase for a nuclear weapons arsenal. After the American-led invasion of Iraq last year, Kim Jong Il, North Korea's leader, said the United States would not have attacked Iraq if it had had nuclear weapons. Since then, China and the United States have lead a regional effort to try to persuade North Korea to give up its weapons, most likely in return for economic aid and security guarantees. Although China has set a Sept. 22 date for the start of the fourth round of talks, North Korea has not committed to attending.


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/09/international/asia/09korea.html?ex=1095307200&en=018e6980d54a23dc&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1

[daleo]

1. Bush better send troops to WMD producing South Korea

Oh wait...never mind.

[Ohio rules]

2. Is Kim worried about Russia ?

LOL
actually
China has set a Sept. 22 date for the start of the fourth round of talks, North Korea has not committed to attending.

Kim beats his chest before sitting at the table.
We will see