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North Korea Says It Will Conduct Nuclear Test
From Associated Press
8:22 AM PDT, October 3, 2006


SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea announced today that it will conduct a nuclear test in the face of what it claimed was an "extreme threat of a nuclear war" by the United States. The declaration provoked alarm and condemnation from leaders around the world.

The United States warned a North Korean nuclear test "would pose an unacceptable threat to peace and stability" and said it would raise the issue during a U.N. Security Council meeting today.

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Other world leaders also urged the reclusive communist nation to reconsider its plan, and South Korea raised its security level.

The statement from Pyongyang gave no precise date for a test, but the prospect that North Korea could soon take a major step forward in its nuclear weapons development raised concern in foreign capitals from Moscow to Washington. North Korea has a recent history of making provocative statements while refraining from an all-out confrontation with its chief enemy, the United States.

"The U.S. extreme threat of a nuclear war and sanctions and pressure compel the DPRK to conduct a nuclear test, an essential process for bolstering nuclear deterrent, as a self-defense measure in response," the North's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, using its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The White House, which has denied it has any intention of attacking the communist nation, denounced the threat today and said it would serve to further isolate Pyongyang.

A nuclear test "would pose an unacceptable threat to peace and stability in Asia and the world," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement. "A provocative action of this nature would only further isolate the North Korean regime and deny the people of the North the benefits they so rightly deserve."

Frederick Jones, a spokesman for the National Security Council, also said a nuclear test would "severely undermine" U.S. confidence in North Korea's commitment to denuclearization and to stalled six-party talks -- and would pose a threat to peace and security in Asia and the world.

He said the United States would continue to work through diplomatic channels with its partners to discourage "such a reckless action, and will respond appropriately."

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, said he was urging Security Council members to consult with their capitals on the next steps.

"I think it's important that if we embark on something here that we do it seriously and not simply issue statements for the sake of issuing statements," he told reporters before the council met for closed discussions.

Multilateral talks on North Korea's nuclear program have been stalled for almost a year, with Pyongyang boycotting the six-nation talks in protest over U.S. financial restrictions imposed for its alleged illegal activity, including money laundering and counterfeiting.

Efforts to bring the North back to negotiations have taken on added urgency after the communist nation test-fired seven missiles in July, including one believed to be capable of reaching the United States.

South Korea "has begun discussions with related countries," the country's presidential office said in a statement. Yoon Tae-young, a presidential spokesman, said the increased security level would mean "intensifying, among other things, the monitoring system to detect signs of North Korea's nuclear testing."

Pyongyang has said it has nuclear weapons, but has not conducted any known test to prove its claim. South Korea's spy agency has said the North could test a nuclear bomb at any time.

"A nuclear test would be unforgivable for Japan and for the international community," said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

His comments were echoed by the Japanese foreign minister, Taro Aso.

"Our response will be severe. This is more serious than the North's missile tests," Aso said.

Under a worst-case scenario, a North Korean nuclear test could prompt Japan to seek its own nuclear deterrent, raising tensions with China and South Korea, both of which suffered under Japanese colonial rule in the early 20th century.

China, North Korea's neighbor, ally and chief benefactor, had no immediate comment.

Russia's Foreign Ministry voiced strong concern today, saying North Korea's plans to conduct a nuclear test would "further exacerbate the military-political situation on the Korean Peninsula and around it." Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed doubt about the report.

"This is not the first time we have heard reports that North Korea announced there will soon be a test of a missile or a nuclear device or something," Lavrov said at a news conference. "In the vast majority of cases, these reports have not been substantiated."

In Finland, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said such a test "is always bad news."

Reports have also suggested the North might conduct a nuclear test, citing suspicious activity at a possible underground test site. Many experts believe the North has enough radioactive material to build at least a half-dozen or more nuclear weapons.

The North said today its ultimate goal is "to settle hostile relations between the DPRK and the U.S. and to remove the very source of all nuclear threats from the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity," accusing the U.S. of posing a nuclear threat in the region.

The North, however, said it will "never use nuclear weapons first and strictly prohibit any threat of nuclear weapons and nuclear transfer."

Charles Kartman, who was the lead negotiator with North Korea under the Clinton administration, said last week that North Korea had few other options than saber-rattling.

"If they feel they are not getting interaction with us, they tend to do things to get our attention. And the tools that they have are all bad ones," he said. "The missiles, the nuclear program, the military."

N Korea warned over nuclear test BBC News
North Korea would be reckless to go ahead with its threat to conduct a nuclear test, the US has said, adding that it is raising the issue at the UN.A test would pose an "unacceptable threat to peace and stability" and the US would work with allies to discourage it, the state department said. North Korea said its planned test would bolster its national security in the face of US military hostility. No timeframe was given for the test, which was announced on state TV. Japan, South Korea and Russia, which along with the US and China are members of the six-nation talks on the North's nuclear programme, have also expressed concern.No reaction to the news was immediately available from China, one of the North's few allies. The Chinese have, like the South Koreans, been advocating quiet diplomacy in efforts to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programme, but both countries joined in condemning ballistic missile tests it conducted in the Sea of Japan earlier this year. The latest announcement from Pyongyang is bound to put both Beijing and Seoul under renewed pressure to take a tougher line, BBC East Asia regional editor Clare Harkey says. She adds that a nuclear test by North Korea, with its crumbling infrastructure and struggling economy, would also raise fears on safety grounds.

'Grave threat'
The US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, said he would be raising the possible test in the Security Council on Tuesday and hoped for a strong response similar to the one following missile tests."Given the very strong action by the council in July in condemning the North Korean ballistic missile tests, I think it's important that we're prepared to follow up here," he said. "Obviously the ballistic missiles, if mated with nuclear weapons, would be a very grave threat to international peace and security." Echoing the state department, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the North's announcement was "troubling" and would further isolate North Korea from the rest of the world. US President George W Bush was "seeking a peaceful, diplomatic solution", he added. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the nuclear test plans were unacceptable and would be met "harshly". South Korea's government went into emergency security talks, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for restraint and a diplomatic solution. In London, Foreign Office officials warned of "serious consequences" to what would be regarded as "a highly provocative act".

Arms race fears
North Korea is thought to have developed a handful of warheads but never before announced it would test one. US and South Korean reports suggest the North has at least one underground test site. The announcement comes with the six-nation talks stalled for a year, and correspondents say a successful nuclear test would signal the end of international negotiations and threaten a dangerous arms race in East Asia. The North appears increasingly angry at sanctions imposed by the US and other countries on North Korean businesses accused of arms sales and illegal activities. In 2002, it restarted its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and forced two UN nuclear monitors to leave the country. It is unclear how far work has progressed at the plant since then.