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Subscribe to RSSChina has offered a rare criticism of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, after the country fired a long-range rocket that has been described by U.S. officials as a weapons test. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
North Korea does not appear to be making preparations for a nuclear weapons test following Tuesday’s test of a space launch vehicle, which was believed to be cover for a long-range missile test, U.S. intelligence analysts told NBC News.
South Korean and Japanese officials had feared that a nuclear weapons test — its third after previous detonations in in October 2006 and May 2009 — would quickly follow the launch.
But word that the North isn’t thought to be preparing for a test is providing little solace for Seoul or Tokyo, mainly because recent intelligence suggests that the North has made significant advances in its nuclear weapons program.
According to a recent analysis, North Korea has a weapon stockpile that could threaten both countries and, in longer term, the United States. Some of the weapons have already been deployed, say U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Moreover, the North has begun research into more advanced and dangerous weapons, possibly even thermonuclear weapons, they say.
At the high end of the stockpile range, U.S. officials and other researchers said North Korea may already have up to "a few dozen" nuclear weapons that could be fitted atop its vast fleet of ballistic missiles. Those missiles are limited to an intermediate range, capable of hitting targets in Japan, South Korea or elsewhere in the northern Pacific, including U.S. military bases as far south as Guam, the officials believe.
South Korean Defense Ministry / Yonhap via AP
South Korean navy sailors carry debris from a rocket launched by North Korea, in the Yellow Sea, off Gunsan, South Korea on Wednesday. The debris is believed to be a fuel container of the first stage rocket. Defense officials said South Korea has no plans to return it to North Korea because the launch violated U.N. council resolutions.
'Highly provocative'
The U.S. believes the space launch test is part of a development plan for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the continental United States with a payload of several hundred kilotons — 10 to 20 times the size of the bombs that destroyed the Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland hinted about that Wednesday, calling the launch "highly provocative" and a "threat" to regional security. The U.S. is "concerned that all of this launching is about a weapons program and is not about peaceful uses of space," she added.
More North Korea coverage from NBC News
For the past several years, the U.S. also has been monitoring North Korean research into thermonuclear weapons — hydrogen bombs and bombs known as boosted fission weapons, in which plutonium and uranium are combined for a higher energy yield. (The problem is that if the North conducted a test and claimed that it was thermonuclear, the U.S. would have difficulty determining if the North was telling the truth. The test site at Kilchu is far enough inland that the U.S. would not have access to the particulate matter needed to make an accurate determination, experts say. )
David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, or ISIS, a nonpartisan nuclear arms research group, said earlier this year that any tests in the future may also be about ensuring the reliability of North Korea's current weapons design.
There was anger, dismay and some surprise as North Korea launched a rocket in defiance of its critics abroad. NBC's Ian Williams reports from Beijing.
"Once you get beyond a dozen, it makes sense to test type and reliability of your weapons," he said. Albright said then that his group's estimate of North Korea's weapons stockpile is a bit less than those provided by the U.S. officials, but that ISIS, too, believes Pyongyang has "missile-deliverable weapons."
The design of the weapons is believed to be based on Chinese models (as were the first generation Pakistani nuclear weapons). The design is basic, and was developed in the 1960s with help from the Soviet Union, which used it to produce a whole line of nuclear warheads.
ANALYSIS: 'Spoiled child' North Korea snubs key ally China with rocket test
While some analysts suggest that the North is using its space rocket launch to gain attention ahead of next week’s presidential election in South Korea -- and possibly to force talks with the U.S. — some in the U.S. non-proliferation community think otherwise. They expect that once the North feels comfortable with its ICBM technology, it will deploy the missiles. They point to the Musudan intermediate range missile which was tested in middle of the last decade, then deployed — presumably with nuclear warheads — and aimed at Japan.
Once the North has confidence in the long-range missile based on the space rocket, U.S. officials believe they will deploy it as well, making North Korea the third nation to have nuclear weapons targeted at the United States, after Russia and China.
Many in the Obama administration see that as a more frightening prospect than Iran gaining nuclear weapons, believing that Tehran is a rational actor that will serve its own national interest and preserve the regime, compared to successive generations of North Korean leaders who have shown that they are unpredictable and erratic.
David Guttenfelder / AP
In this March 9, 2011 photo, a girl plays the piano inside the Changgwang Elementary School in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
But would it force the U.S. turn to conduct face-to-face talks with the North? Nuland said Wednesday that the North has a better option.
Speaking of the North’s 27-year-old leader Kim Jong Un, Nuland said: "He can plot a way forward that ends the isolation, that brings relief and a different way of life and progress to his people, or he can further isolate them with steps like this. He can spend his time and his money shooting off missiles, or he can feed his people, but he can't have both."
Robert Windrem is a senior investigative producer for NBC News.
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The Obama administration is always "rattled" by foreign events. Their first inclination was to blame the success of the launch on an internet video but even Hillary Clinton wouldn't go for that. Scary what is going on behind the scenes that this Inspector Clouseau administration has no clue of.
Where do they find these writers? Are J-school people really that dumb? Any reader who can figure out exactly what the writer meant to say probably knows more about the subject than the writer. And that would likely be most of the readers.
other than the fact that Hiroshima bomb was 16Kilotons and Nagasaki was 21Kilotons and they used US budget math it's fine
somewhere from 160Kilotons too 420kilotons.
Brian,
The article didn't say explosive power of the bombs. (The kiloton usage in regard to atomic bombs refers to the amount of TNT required to create an equivalent blast energy.) The article said payload weight. Not even a Saturn V rocket could lift "several hundred kilotons". I don't believe that there is any rocket anywhere in the world today that could lift the 1,000,000 or so pounds the author claims. Furthermore, judging from what the author was no doubt trying to say, the Korean missile could only lift the weight of a modern warhead, which is far less than the nearly 10,000 pounds that the "Fat-Man" bomb dropped on Hiroshima weighed.
If the US does anything at all it will be when its too late. Always hoping it heals itself.
Bunch of stupid hillbilly warhawk Romney supporters on here with very stupid posts (many but not all)
Let's bomb 'em now. Let's further isolate them. Let's go after China. On it goes.
The fact is nothing can be done right now. Nothing.
Yes. I too believe that Iran is much safer with such weapons than NK. Iran always has an ace card in it's oil production and NK has nothing. Isreal tries to make you think otherwise.
Stupid comes in every variety....
This article contains some of the most ridiculous analysis ever!!! Tehran is more reliable than North Korea. The guys who believe in the 7th Imam who will come to earth when the world is aflame and and establish world Islam. And these guys in Tehran believe also it is their duty to bring about the conditions for the 7th Imam to return??? Right!!!
If obama had`nt cancelled the airborne laser, we could have zapped it in flight, it would just look like a failure and no one would even know it was us.
North Korea is still at war with a 40 year ceasefire with South Korea.Considering The US is siding with the South the North has no reason to listen to us. Any country against the US is a potential buyer of N Korea weapons. The axis of evil label is coming to reality. China and Russia is not willing to side with us either considering we have bragged about being superior to them and controls them through the United Nations votes. History does not serve us well in this region of the world and only good diplomacy will help-quit with idle threats that will only escalate.
WTFHAPPENED
We have not been taking this regime seriously .......When will we start to do so ? When L A or Sacramento are vaporized? Then we will take them or Iran seriously .....
PValdes, do you think maybe our economy sucks pretty badly right now? If so... then what do you think another war on any scale... much less one which could escalate into a WWIII conflict would do for us? Sometimes it's actually better to use your brain, rather than your brawn when resolving conflicts. And it might be high time for us to do the latter, in order to salvage what is left of our own economical situation bro.
Prober ....did I call for an all out assault on NK ? NO......I am just saying that we better quit blowing these things off as insignificant .....Did Japan think we were serious about nuking them ? .....Twice ? No they didn't ......Surprise surprise
It’s about time! I was getting worried; maybe they had a hard time interpreting the instructions from English! Maybe the US should translate them first in Korean before delivery
usa rattled!!
no sh it
this is what happens when you have a weak UN
what is the need of the un if they dont do their job
its like blowing smoke up ones ass only a cool breeze and nothing else
I’m thinking they should be a key player in this new, new world order our government should sell them New top of the line aircraft and send them billions so they can feed their people!
Nothing to fear Obama will make sure that Iran don't get this far since they already have the mid range rockets that can carry the warhead , the test will be live fire , but no worries Obama never lies and always has all the facts and keeps transparent to Main Street.And if you elect me too Congress I will keep on him and give the United Social America the world at Obama's side.
Long live all knowing protector/dictator Obama.
Another day, another new screw-up by Obama. This week we're flooded with news of hidden taxes in his failed Health Plan; he wants to push us over the financial cliff because impoverished people are more likely to grovel in fear and ask his Fascist Government for help; now North Korea is added to our enemies who can get us list, together with all the countries he handed over to the Islamists last year. Just think we elected the guy just because he doesn't speak like Al Sharpton and some remain amazed he's totally incompetent.
what is ironic is that n.k. thinks the west is its enemy when in fact its china.
Deep inside constipated Obama Girl Friend you hear ..., just little farther now , ahhh , name it Barack and send it to America to rule / destroy America
This little fat pig screwer is turning out to be just like his father, whom the whole world hated, and his fat little son is well on his way to keeping up the tradition.
Hey n korea leader, how does it feel to be hated by the entire world?
LOL at first I thought you where talking obama
Brian, you're a classless, racist fool... but that's ok. It's America where you can voice your opinion no matter how stupid it is
I thought he was a chick magnet? I guess it does help to put a bowl of rice in front of his date first!
Prober where in heck do you get that I'm racist little hard with Obama having 2 races for parents ...what is this you think the Pres is a piece of Stinky and that racist?
LOL wow people are really something if somebody make a joke about a loser it some how means your racist I like white people too, not many but some.
BTW what or you a prober of?
What is the real problem here? NK wants to send a few "satellites" into outer space to help their agriculture. It's hard to grow stuff there, especially with some of the contaminated soil from a few nuke tests. When Saddam used chemical weapons against his own people and threatened to use it on everyone else, and we allowed the UN to stop us from going in until everything was carried away, in the end we had egg on our faces with the whole WMD situation. I say, who's to say they have WMD's in NK? Let's do the liberal thing and leave them alone. For God's sake, (Sorry (g)OD"S) they aren't a Christian nation there. We can trust them. Right?! What's the worse thing that can happen? They send a bomb over to California? That can be seen as a light in a few ways. Those in NK are trying to help the illegal immigration problem by making a radioactive barrier around the Cali/Mexico border. They are trying to warm up the place after a cold front. They want to make it brighter around the CA coastline so Santa can give Rudolph the day off on Christmas morning. Or, NK notices California has been a blue state for a little too long, and they simply want to turn it red. Win/Win regardless if you ask me.
When they fire one at us, we will use everything except that to level them. I Do not know if you know anything about the Korean War, but as a Security Forces member in the USAF, it part of our history and why we changed certain things in our security. Seeing our flag in their museum.......Makes me want to get it back. Pic #48 of the ppt. Cant help it.
The history of America vs North Korea is full of the cowardice and lack of leadership of the US: In the Korean war, General MacArthur wanted to win, use nukes against China if they did not stop supporting NK, Prez Truman fired his winning general! Then in the Maya Guez siezure, we let the NK's takec captive a sovereign American ship in international waters - and did nothing! We have time after time issued proclamations and did nothing to follow up - why should the NK government respect or fear anything we do? What is needed is drop a big bomb on the harbor where our ship is still displayed as a symbol of our weakness. Then tell them we can't send any more food, since their harbor is our of commission.
Why....that's the most thought out plan I believe I've ever heard! Why don't you run it over to the Pentagon and tell them to implement it?
Once Pandora's Box was opened, there was no putting the troubles back in.
Now that the Genie has been released, our most serious troubles will now confront us.....and at a much faster pace!
Our businessmen and congress are sitting on their hands their missing out on an a money making opportunity if we can negotiate with the North and put a couple of Dell and Apple plants in their country to build computers and sell back to us at a profit they wouldn’t bite the hand that feeds them Right?
The US really doesn’t need a budget its over rated !
the Unions Done this to Us! its their Fault!!!
you need explain that more I think you might be getting at Clinton sending tech to china.
LOL budget LOL America should got clue when it came out that Congress Credit Union was covering 10's of thousands dollars in checks that bounce by Congressmen....they could not keep their own check book but people re-elected them too hold the USA check books.
OK maybe the Chinese can send them American technology it would be cheaper who needs Americans in their business anyways!
But.....what would we give them for putting the computers together? I doubt it's money they want. The technical designs and the manufacturing plans to the semi-conductors maybe? How about ultra precision timers? That's something they might be interested in! A RADAR installation in the Phillipines? 40 tons of yellowcake? Think....think....think....there must be something they really want and will be willing to put together the computers for next to nothing to sell at Wal-Mart to the American people who don't have jobs...... so we can make a gazzillion dollars!!.....WHAT IS IT!!!?
i'm thinking Chop sticks
If women were running these countries, this sh would never happen.
nope cause the would be fighting over men , getting nails done , heading too tanning bed and then hair done before dinner all paid by tax payers.
you might have point all kidding aside, things work pretty good when Nancy was in charge
So, are you saying that a missile that could reach California is actually a bad thing?????
well maybe the missle will drift and go south a little,,,,,win win then the drug lords that run mexico can go Kick their butts with guns they purchased from US Government
Rattled and schocked...........We watch Iran and N Korea build missles and nuclear facilitys......and then when they finally get the missles to work were rattled....just wait till the put a nuke on it and hit israel and japan....then we can be shocked. I'll be shocked if they dont.......................................Once we can figure out how to target their governments without a lot of collateral damage we can MELT them......
I like too say I hope it takes longer than 4 years but think Obama might be in control long past that.
Who’s to say it didn’t already happen? I mean Bengasi was blamed on a video so who’s to say that the tidal wave that hit Japan wasn’t a nuclear detonation set off in the pacific?
And in another 'Tersely-Worded' letter from the Obama administration, NK sees the error of their ways and scraps the whole program.