 |
North Korea Pledges to Conduct Nuclear Test
From Tuesday, October 3, 2006 issue.
North Korea said today that the threat posed by the United States compels it to conduct a nuclear test, CNN reported (see GSN, Oct. 2). “The D.P.R.K. will in the future conduct a nuclear test under the condition where safety is firmly guaranteed,” the North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement, without providing a specific date for the test. This is the first statement from Pyongyang to refer to specific plans for a nuclear test, CNN reported. “The U.S. extreme threat of a nuclear war and sanctions and pressure compel the D.P.R.K. to conduct a nuclear test, an essential process for bolstering nuclear deterrent, as a corresponding measure for defense,” according to the statement. North Korea’s neighbors quickly warned Pyongyang against testing a nuclear weapon. “Any form of nuclear testing by North Korea would be unacceptable,” said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He said the global community would “respond harshly” to such an act. Given North Korea’s history of pledging to do something and then quickly following through on that pledge, “we can’t flatly rule out the possibility” of a nuclear test, said South Koran Foreign Minister Taro Aso (CNN, Oct. 3). U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said he would raise the test threat today at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, the Associated Press reported. “A nuclear test by North Korea would be extraordinarily serious,” he said. “The threat is serious enough that we’re certainly going to take this action in the council this morning, by raising it” (Bo Mi-Lim, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Oct. 3).
 Back to top
| |
 |
|
About Newswire | Contact National Journal | Re-Use Guidelines
© Copyright
2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
|
