New Nuke Test? U.S. Says N. Korea‘s Rocket Launch Would Be ’Highly Provacative’
- Posted on April 9, 2012 at 1:01pm by
Liz Klimas
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A North Korean soldier salutes in front of the country's Unha-3 rocket, slated for liftoff between April 12-16. (Photo: AP/David Guttenfelder)
WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — The United States says a rocket or nuclear test by North Korea would only isolate its communist government further.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday she was not in a position to confirm whether the North was preparing for its third nuclear test, in addition to a long-range rocket launch expected some time between April 12 and 16.
(Related: Images show N. Korea’s rocket launch preparation well underway)
She urged China to use its influence with North Korea to dissuade it from going ahead with the launch.
Nuland said a launch would be “highly provocative” and a nuclear test “would be equally bad if not worse.”
(Photo: AP/David Guttenfelder)
South Korean intelligence officials say recent satellite images show North Korea is digging a new underground tunnel in what appears to be preparation for a nuclear test. The excavation at North Korea’s northeast Punggye-ri site, where nuclear tests were conducted in 2006 and 2009, is in its final stages, according to a report by intelligence officials that was shared Monday with The Associated Press.
Watch this Reuters report:
“North Korea is covertly preparing for a third nuclear test, which would be another grave provocation,” said the report, which cited U.S. commercial satellite photos taken April 1. “North Korea is digging up a new underground tunnel at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, in addition to its existing two underground tunnels, and it has been confirmed that the excavation works are in the final stages.”
Dirt believed to have been brought from other areas is piled at the tunnel entrance, the report said, something experts say is needed to fill up tunnels before a nuclear test. The dirt indicates a “high possibility” North Korea will stage a nuclear test, the report said, as plugging tunnels was the final step taken during its two previous underground nuclear tests.
(Photo: /David Guttenfelder)
SlashGear reports that North Korea has maintained the launch is in honor of Kim Il Sung’s birth 100 years ago. It has said the rocket launch is for a satellite. SlashGear has more:
North Korean officials refuse to discuss the relative priorities of funding expensive rocket testing when civilians are going hungry, and state representatives were whisked away from CNN‘s questioning when challenged. That wasn’t before the launch site’s chief, Jang Myong Jin, said he was “very disturbed by these claims” that the rocket is, in fact, a missile.
Pressed, he suggested reporters present “look for yourself.” “Does it look like a missile to you? This is why we invited you here.”
Some Asian airlines have already decided that they would be re-routing some flights next week in light of N. Korea’s rocket launch. Ships and some fishing boats are being warned away from northeastern waters to avoid the potential of rocket debris.
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MrKnowItAll
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:39pmLove to have seen this Rocket Blow up right there while everyone was Video Taping. You’d think the U.S. would have Technology that could accomplish this. Even though people are teaching all to be Stupid. It still in today’s world make the North look really bad if this happened.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 9:22pmThey are not afraid of Obama, the killer bunny.
Report Post »321481
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:22pmObama has made it fashionable to mock and push around the USA so now No. Korea is getting in on the action, is that really a big surprise. Obama will simply say it is Bush’s fault!
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:28pmNorth Korea exists because we send it billions in food and cash, while our own government is trillions in debt! LIBERALISM is a mental disorder. Time to pull the plug.
Report Post »kafantaris
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:13pmForget these fools.
Report Post »If they can ignore their starving people to conduct expensive missile tests — when no one is even remotely threatening then — they deserve no further consideration from any of us.
They can conduct all the missile tests they want with their primitive rocket technology. We ain’t scared.
But they had better not cut too many corners as they rush to show off or they will blow themselves up first.
Carefreeflyer
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 6:49pmToday, Obama has the gall to say N. Korea‘s Rocket Launch Would Be ’Highly Provocative’. However, this same day, in an extremely provocative gesture, Obama welcomes the anti-American terrorist group “The Muslim Brotherhood’ to our White House, bypasses Congress and gives them $1.5 billion of our hard working tax payer’s dollars. Which Dictator is worse?
Report Post »jacques.daspy
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:01pmEgypt has destroyed it’s tourist industry by attacking the tourists that feed them. It’s going to be a while before they return. Meanwhile, the people in Egypt and Greece are looking to the government to take care of them. Apparently, they can’t borrow from the Chinese so the Feds will borrow a billion and a half and gift the Egyptians. Where is the Islamists pride, dependent on the Infidels to eat.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 6:18pmAmerica looks weaker in the eyes of the world with each passing day! Thats more dangerous than the bombs themselves which do not fly unless the political will is there and the time is right! Are we there yet?
Report Post »duhwut
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:05pmOn their own, North Korea won’t do anything. They know that if they tried to bomb someone, many countries would finally just take out their crappy forces and make South Korea rule that land.
Report Post »Now, if North Korea is backed by another powerful country/countries, like Russia, China, or Iran, then they would be more than willing to start a war. North Korea can be used to divert our allied forces away from the rest of the world and allow its own allies to strike elsewhere while we have to deal with the North.
Its simple really. Hunting alone is hard and dangerous. Hunting in a pack is easier and safer.
hidden_lion
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:46pmIt is funny, everyone wants to go to war with Iran for the possibility they may consider making a nuke. North Korea, already has them, is going to test another one, has missiles that can deliver one as far as California…Where are the warmongers calling for the destruction of this evil regime?
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 6:16pmI’ll take that one! NK has got to go!
Report Post »jacques.daspy
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:06pmIf push comes to shove at the nuclear level, large sections would be uninhabitable. If the right targets were selected, most of the problems would be reduced to sub atomic particles. The N koreans are trying, again, to get it right, on the third strike.
Report Post »TMunson
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:41pmWhen will the US just state the facts, “If you launch that rocket we will sit on the floor and hold our breath until we turn blue and die!!!”.
Report Post »What we should say is if you launch “WE WILL SHOOT IT DOWN….DEAL WITH IT!” Have a nice day..
:)
pavepaws
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 7:45pmAnother terse letter is in order.
Report Post »DisposableWorker
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:19pmhttp://missile.index.ne.jp/cgi/misearch.cgi
Report Post »DisposableWorker
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:26pmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7424488.stm
Report Post »DisposableWorker
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 4:29pm끝 근처에 있다입니다. (The end is near).
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 3:25pmThank you Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton for providing the finances making all this possible.
Report Post »Mike N
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 5:20pmThe result of *****-footing at its very best.
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