Years · 2006

October 2006

43 posts

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DPRK Test: What About that Radionuclide Data?

NHK and Yonhap have both reported on what Japan and South Korea have found in the atmosphere after the DPRK’s Monday test: bagel. According to NHK: Japan’s 47 prefectures say no radioactive substances have been detected at any measuring points…

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North Korea and Nuclear Forensics

I was at an event this morning where Michael Swaine raised the question of identifying North Korean uranium in the event that it were used in an attack by another state or terrorist organization. This subject has come up a…

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Powell on DPRK Test

Just for fun…back in the day, Powell described the likely US response to a North Korean nuclear test in a 2003 interview with Business Week : Q: And if the North Koreans test nuclear arms? A: If they test we’ll…

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A Second Test?

Well. Japan’s MFA is apparently saying that North Korea may have conducted a second test, according to AP. South Korea seems to say otherwise, though: …a South Korean official said seismic monitors did not detect any tremors that could indicate…

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So, like, why didn't it work?

One possible explanation for a failed test is that the North Koreans attempted to skip directly to an operational weapons design (say 1000-2000 lbs like the US Mk 7). Indeed, this was precisely what was reported in the press in…

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Dropping the F-Bomb on the NORKS

Well, the French are the first to drop the F-bomb on North Korea—failure. Speaking to reporters, French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie (right) said “it was an explosion with a force of about half a kiloton, which is not an extremely…

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NORK DATA: It was a DUD

HA HA HA HA. I love the US Geological Survey. They’ve published lat/long (41.294°N, 129.134°E) and Mb estimates (4.2) for the North Korean test. There is lots of data floating around: The CTBTO called it 4.0; The South Koreans report…

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More Norky Goodness

For those of you taking a break from your glue binge, some additional items: 1. Here’s the text of North Korea’s statement on the nuclear tests: The field of scientific research in the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] successfully…

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Almost New Illicit Trafficking Database

I like the tone of the first few paragraphs of this Times online article, Seizures of radioactive materials fuel ‘dirty bomb’ fears It’s the terrorists are coming to kill us all with a dirty bomb so buy our paper while…

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UNSC PRST on DPRK

The UN has the full text, also replicated below. “The Security Council expresses its deep concern over the statement of 3 October 2006 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), in which it…