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Decoding North Korea’s Claim of a Successful Nuclear Test Decoding North Korea’s Claim of a Successful Nuclear Test
(35 minutes later)
The Korean Central News Agency, the official news service of North Korea, on Friday published a statement issued by the nation’s nuclear weapons institute. Following is the complete text of the statement, with key passages highlighted, accompanied by context and analysis by the correspondents of The New York Times:The Korean Central News Agency, the official news service of North Korea, on Friday published a statement issued by the nation’s nuclear weapons institute. Following is the complete text of the statement, with key passages highlighted, accompanied by context and analysis by the correspondents of The New York Times:
The use of the phrase “nuclear warhead” rather than “nuclear device” is noteworthy, suggesting a specific, miniaturized design that can be mounted on a missile. D.P.R.K. refers to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name, and the Workers’ Party of Korea is the ruling party, led by Kim Jong-un.The use of the phrase “nuclear warhead” rather than “nuclear device” is noteworthy, suggesting a specific, miniaturized design that can be mounted on a missile. D.P.R.K. refers to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name, and the Workers’ Party of Korea is the ruling party, led by Kim Jong-un.
The Hwasong artillery units are believed to involved in the development of intercontinental missiles, but Hwasong also refers to a class of medium-range North Korean missiles, their version of a Scud missile. The Hwasong units have been conducting a series of missile tests in recent months, raising regional fears that the North can already mount a nuclear weapon on a missile capable of striking its neighbors, South Korea and Japan. The Hwasong artillery units are believed to be involved in the development of intercontinental missiles, but Hwasong also refers to a class of medium-range North Korean missiles, their version of a Scud missile. The Hwasong units have been conducting a series of missile tests in recent months, raising regional fears that the North can already mount a nuclear weapon on a missile capable of striking its neighbors, South Korea and Japan.
The North recently tested a missile that may be able to reach American bases in the Pacific and has been working on one that can reach the continental United States. But experts say it could take five years for the North to develop the technology needed, including a warhead capable of surviving the stress of re-entering the atmosphere.The North recently tested a missile that may be able to reach American bases in the Pacific and has been working on one that can reach the continental United States. But experts say it could take five years for the North to develop the technology needed, including a warhead capable of surviving the stress of re-entering the atmosphere.
The reference to standardization may be intended to suggest progress in the North’s manufacturing process after five tests as well as the possibility that it is ready to produce warheads for deployment.The reference to standardization may be intended to suggest progress in the North’s manufacturing process after five tests as well as the possibility that it is ready to produce warheads for deployment.
That impression is reinforced by the North’s assertion that it can produce warheads “at will and as many as it wants,” which is also a reminder that it has an expanding supply of fuel for nuclear weapons. The North expelled international inspectors and restarted its Yongbyon nuclear reactor in 2013 after the United States suspended talks. It appears to have resumed reprocessing spent fuel from the reactor this year to extract more plutonium, according to the United Nations.That impression is reinforced by the North’s assertion that it can produce warheads “at will and as many as it wants,” which is also a reminder that it has an expanding supply of fuel for nuclear weapons. The North expelled international inspectors and restarted its Yongbyon nuclear reactor in 2013 after the United States suspended talks. It appears to have resumed reprocessing spent fuel from the reactor this year to extract more plutonium, according to the United Nations.
By citing “various fissile materials,” the North may be signaling that it has a second source of nuclear material besides the plutonium from Yongbyon reactor — a program to produce highly enriched uranium that it disclosed to a visiting American nuclear physicist in 2010. North Korea is believed to have material for at least a dozen, and perhaps as many as 20, nuclear weapons, but it is unclear how many it has actually built. Experts say that number depends in large part on how much highly enriched uranium it has produced.By citing “various fissile materials,” the North may be signaling that it has a second source of nuclear material besides the plutonium from Yongbyon reactor — a program to produce highly enriched uranium that it disclosed to a visiting American nuclear physicist in 2010. North Korea is believed to have material for at least a dozen, and perhaps as many as 20, nuclear weapons, but it is unclear how many it has actually built. Experts say that number depends in large part on how much highly enriched uranium it has produced.
In case you missed it the first time, the statement makes a second reference here to mounting nuclear warheads on missiles.In case you missed it the first time, the statement makes a second reference here to mounting nuclear warheads on missiles.
The statement reminds the world that sanctions imposed against North Korea over the past decade have neither prevented it from financing and procuring materials needed to make advances in its nuclear program, nor caused enough pain for it to abandon the effort. The North has demanded that the United States recognize it as a nuclear power, but Washington has insisted that it agree to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula before talks resume.The statement reminds the world that sanctions imposed against North Korea over the past decade have neither prevented it from financing and procuring materials needed to make advances in its nuclear program, nor caused enough pain for it to abandon the effort. The North has demanded that the United States recognize it as a nuclear power, but Washington has insisted that it agree to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula before talks resume.