N. Korea Announces they Have Nukes and Will Not Disarm

[smurphy]

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/st...tm&sc=1104&photoid=19961201TOK204&floc=NW_1-T

By SANG-HUN CHOE
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea on Thursday announced for the first time that it has nuclear weapons and rejected moves to restart disarmament talks any time soon, saying it needs the weapons as protection against an increasingly hostile United States.

The communist state's pronouncement dramatically raised the stakes in the two-year-old nuclear confrontation and posed a grave challenge to President Bush, who started his second term with a vow to end North Korea's nuclear program through six-nation talks.

``We ... have manufactured nukes for self-defense to cope with the Bush administration's ever more undisguised policy to isolate and stifle the (North),'' the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

The claim could not be independently verified. North Korea expelled the last U.N. nuclear monitors in late 2002 and has never tested a nuclear bomb, although international officials have long suspected it has one or two nuclear bombs and enough fuel for several more.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Washington would consult allies before responding.

``I think we just have to first look at the statement and then we need to talk with our allies,'' Rice told Dutch RTL television while on a trip through Europe.

``The North Koreans have no reason to believe that anyone wants to attack them,'' she added. ``They have been told they can have multilateral security assurances if they will make the important decision to give up their nuclear weapons program. So there is really no reason for this, but we will examine where we go next.''

Previously, North Korea had reportedly told U.S. negotiators in private talks that it had nuclear weapons and might test one of them. The North's U.N. envoy said last year that the country had ``weaponized'' plutonium from its pool of 8,000 nuclear spent fuel rods. Those rods contained enough plutonium for several bombs.

But Thursday's statement was North Korea's first public acknowledgment that it has nuclear weapons.

North Korea's ``nuclear weapons will remain (a) nuclear deterrent for self-defense under any circumstances,'' the ministry said. It said Washington's alleged attempt to topple the North's regime ``compels us to take a measure to bolster its nuclear weapons arsenal in order to protect the ideology, system, freedom and democracy chosen by its people.''

Since 2003, the United States, the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia have held three rounds of talks in Beijing aimed at persuading the North to abandon nuclear weapons development in return for economic and diplomatic rewards. No significant progress has been made.

A fourth round scheduled for last September was canceled when North Korea refused to attend, citing what it called a ``hostile'' U.S. policy.

In recent weeks, hopes had risen that North Korea might return to the six-nation talks, especially after Bush refrained from any direct criticism of North Korea when he started his second term last month.

On Thursday, North Korea said it decided not to rejoin such talks any time soon after studying Bush's inaugural and State of the Union speeches and after Rice labeled North Korea one of the ``outposts of tyranny.''

``We have wanted the six-party talks but we are compelled to suspend our participation in the talks for an indefinite period till we have recognized that there is justification for us to attend the talks and there are ample conditions and atmosphere to expect positive results from the talks,'' the ministry said.

Still, North Korea said it retained its ``principled stand to solve the issue through dialogue and negotiations and its ultimate goal to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula remain unchanged.''

Such a comment has widely been interpreted as North Korea's negotiating tactic to get more economic and diplomatic concessions from the United States before joining any crucial talks.

In Japan, the top government spokesman said he wanted to confirm the North's intentions.

``They have used this sort of phrasing every so often. They didn't say anything particularly new,'' Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda told a regular news conference.

For months, North Korea has lashed out at what it calls U.S. attempts to demolish the regime of leader Kim Jong Il and meddle in the human rights situation in the North. Washington has said it wants to resolve the nuclear talks through dialogue.

In his Jan. 20 inaugural speech, Bush vowed that his new administration would not shrink from ``the great objective of ending tyranny'' around the globe.

In his State of the Union address earlier this month, Bush only mentioned North Korea once, saying Washington was ``working closely with governments in Asia to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions.''

Bush's tone was in stark contrast to three years ago, when he branded North Korea part of an ``axis of evil'' with Iran and Iraq, raising hopes of a positive response from North Korea.

The nuclear crisis erupted in October 2002 when U.S. officials accused North Korea of running a secret uranium-enrichment program in violation of international treaties. Washington and its allies cut off free fuel oil shipments for the impoverished country under a 1994 deal with the United States.

North Korea retaliated by quitting the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in early 2003 and restarting its plutonium-based nuclear weapons program, which had been frozen under the 1994 agreement.


02/10/05 05:22

 

[kosar]

This is all they're talking about on the news today(well, other than Iran saying that it will be a scorching hell for our troops if we attack them). This might be true, or might not, but it's pretty much as we've assumed for a few years. Even if true, they have not tested one yet and have no proven, accurate delivery systems. Under these circumstances, it would probably take a lucky shot to hit even Japan.

That's not to downplay it, and of course we have to react is if they're telling the truth, but we can probably safely assume that they're throwing this out there in response to the reports of our intent to attack Iran.

BTW- Prince Charles is getting married to Camilla Parker Bowles before long. She will be showing off her rock soon, so they say. That's exciting.

 

[saint]

Thank God that lunatic in N Korea is on the other end of the globe. Can you imagine being their neighbor?

 

[Kdogg21]

great job by Bush. I think he is still looking for WMD's in Iraq and these Bozo's come out and say they have them.

 

[kosar]

Saint- no doubt.

Kdogg, It's policy to attack countries that pose no threat and to ignore countries that are real threats. The Bush Doctrine.

 

[IntenseOperator]

We've been giving these clowns money for years.

They could sell a nuke. They don't necessarily need to have a delivery system. There are plenty of MOrons looking for those virgins that will be more than happy to handle the delivery.

If they do have them, I'm sure our government has been well aware. I think this may actually show the level of despairation on their part to throw down their trump card at this point. (I'm trying to do the "silver lining" thing.)

Really don't think any party in a leadership position can handle this country's train of thought. A country that blatantly starves it's own people and poors what little recources it has into it's military.

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

"great job by Bush. I think he is still looking for WMD's in Iraq and these Bozo's come out and say they have them."

You should be on last administration when S-- er Mr Clinton sent Madeline Notsobright over there and we agreed to send them tons of aid so they could use their funds to build up program.
Had we taken approach now back then they would have no nuclear weapons and still not so sure they do--and if so inferior delivery systems.

They are no threat to us other than selling arms to those that are.
Why are we in middle east instead--if you had any geography in school you should be aware of their proximaty to China--can you say border---Now consider this in your wildest imagination if terrorist slipping through borders of Syria-Iran ect pose a threat--try China on for size. Gee Wiz does the left rant just to rant or do they ever consider the facts--and China will not let N Korea get out of hand--you can take that to the bank--I would assume they have already laid down the law to them but would not want us to be so sure as it is huge leverage tool vs our building up Taiwan arsenal.It's a chess game I find interesting.

 

[gardenweasel]

honestly,guys...this one falls much more squarely on clinton`s shoulders than anyone else`s.....if i remeber bill anointed "tough as nails" jimmy carter to negotiate with the n. koreans...lol

the treaty wasn`t worth the paper it was written on.....remeber "trust,but verify"...

i.o. hit the nail on the head...the worry with n. korea is the sale of the technology.....

now,multiply the n.korean threat x10 and that`s what you get if one of these middle eastern despots gets their hands on nukes....

it just can`t be allowed to happen....

i`m quite sure that china will keep n korea from doing much more than saber rattling....they`ll starve without the chinese...

the middle east has the potential to mushroom into ww3...

the world`s economy and energy supply depend firmly on middle eastern stability..

some day,the rest of the world will realize this...

 

[Nick Douglas]

DTB is right on the second part I must say. I disagree with the first part because if you stop giving aid to people who need it just because it might fall into an enemy's hands, then you'll never end up giving aid to any cause that is truly worthy.

 

[StevieD]

Well, this might be one fight we could get behind Bush on. My humble opinion, just to show the world we mean business, is to pull all of soldiers out of that end of the world. At least give the impression that we don't want them getting hurt when we drop the big one.

 

[RAYMOND]

thanks to bill clinton

 

[dr. freeze]

hey now Clinton told us that Korea gave him their word that they were only using nuclear technology for energy

 

[SixFive]

Why is this such a big story? I thought I remembered this news coming out last year?? Maybe I am remembering wrong, but I thought we learned about a nuc program last year.

Also, if the Chinese think these guys are a threat, don't be suprised if they go and take it out.

 

[fletcher]

My question is does the cheea pet have anything different to wear, every time I see this guy who is twisted and I think china will take care of him before we ever have to, but every time he is in the same cheap looking out fit like the guy in scarface who took the chain saw to the dude in the shower, and he claps like a girl cheerleader he is off his rocker don't care what any one says about him .

This is old news anyway should we be shocked at the statement now? There is no-way you can tell me this guy has it all together and lets see the little spin the bleeders put on this one, or the hard core republicans. One will want to blow his ass away and the other will want to give them more food and aid. No-one can think or act for the people they should care about in our country. They all think for their party only for the most part hardcore on both screwed up sides in our country for the most part.

That is why there needs to be a real middle class independent party in our county, but will never happen with the 2 big machines getting all the funds and born and raised to be on the hill. If there was a real one we would be much better off IMO then with what we have now with hard core rock heads from both parties. stealing from Peter to pay Paul, and most of us are Peter and the big boys and girls of the fed machine are Paul, forget the middle class people.

I am a member by name only so I can vote in local elections and on other things or I would be registered as a independent.

Lets see how more spread out we can make our defense or how much more cash we can send over seas to help others rather then take care of our own first. I can't believe this was on all the shows today like matt said hell most of us have known this for a few years, now lets spend some more cash and do a new study on how we can control this matter. Spend Spend Spend or GIVE GIVE GIVE . That is all either side hardcores do anyway they don't help the reg people. They sure steal from most of us regular people though the middle class is the whipping boy of our country. and sick of my ass being red from it.

How much money was wasted today over this and how many meetings did they have up on the hill with the den of thieves from both parties??

Sick of Iraq, sick of N.Korea sick of being raped and stolen from by the feds on both sides. Hey wake up you bunch of crooks from the feds and do some good for the people in our own country and try and fix some of our own home problems that are real like children going with out food and older people not getting good medical service or have to make a choice to buy medacation or food. Sick of money being wasted on dust lands and old things that we should not have to worry about and sick of being the world bank and world food service . Feed and spend on your own first.

what will be the next brain storm report in the headline? terrorist cause problems in the middle east.

 

[saint]

Why is this such a big story? I thought I remembered this news coming out last year?? Maybe I am remembering wrong, but I thought we learned about a nuc program last year.

Also, if the Chinese think these guys are a threat, don't be suprised if they go and take it out.

Last time around a year ago it was "mentioned" during a meeting but never fully admitted.

I guess this is an official acknowledgement.

 

[saint]

Ways to save money for military spending...cut electricity at night

 

[fletcher]

Some how saint you and I will pay for that or anything, they will raise our power bills due to some tax increase like my power, water and gas bill has gone up almost triple from 3 years ago out here, they will have some tax spike to get us some way to pay for both sides screw ups for last 20 years or so . As you can tell I am not much of a fed man, love my country but feds have only a few things I need them to do and most of those things that i and most of us really need them for they screw up, and Like I said both side hardliners.

 

[bjfinste]

Saint- that can't be real, is it? I'm assuming no, but you never know for sure with those nutjobs.

 

[fletcher]

Why not the do rolling black outs out here when it is 110+ outside and let you bake for a few hours to save our state money they say, well how about do it for a few hours in the winter when it is 55 outside or maybe do it on the strip it never goes out, so I would buy it that it could be real.

 

[gardenweasel]

fletch...the "chia pet"(lol) has stated in several interviews that(and i`m quoting him here)...,

" i don`t believe that a dude should quit on a garment just because it gets a little age on it"......

maybe he`s not crazy after all.... :iagree: :yup