Posted on 09/12/2004 7:48:16 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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It was reported that there was a massive explosion Thursday around the town of Yongjo-ri, Kim Hyong-jik County, Ryanggang Province. U.S. Department of State, sources familiar with North Korea and the Korean government all confirmed the explosion.
A high-ranking government official said Sunday, “It is true that a large mushroom cloud about 3.5 to 4 km in diameter was observed by a satellite at around 11:00 a.m. Thursday. It was not a nuclear test, but the explosion seemed to be three times bigger than the one that took place during the Ryongchon Station accident,” and added, “Both U.S. and Korean intelligence authorities are investigating what caused the explosion.”
Chong Wa Dae Spokesman Kim Jong-min said, “We noticed the explosion right after it took place and reported it to the president in writing during a National Security Council meeting. But we cannot decide the nature of the accident yet.”
The accident took place in a mountainous region 1,500 meter above sea level around Yongjo-ri, where it is known that there were many munitions factories nearby. In particular, the exact spot of explosion is only 10km away southwest from the Yongjo-ri base for Rodong 1 and 2 missiles and some 30km away from the Sino-Korean border.
There is much talk about the cause of the explosion. The government official said, “If a nuclear test causes an explosion, we can detect it by reading satellite data. Thus, the recent explosion in North Korea was not caused by a nuclear test.” The intelligence authorities assume that an ammunition depot with over 1,000 tons of dynamite or an ammunition car may have exploded, or there may have been a chain explosion of chemical material or a big fire. Some Chinese sources argue that a massive explosion took pace in a munitions factory. Hong Sun-jik, director at the Hyundai Economic Institute said, “Other than the assumption that it may be a simple accident that took place due to old facilities, we cannot exclude the possibility that the explosion may have taken place due to the lack of control of the Kim Jong-il regime, or it may have been connected to a secret feud over the successor of Kim Jong-il following the rumor of death of Kim’s wife, Koh Young-hee.”
Also, some strongly argue that it is not a simple accident because it took place on Sept.9, the North’s foundation day, which is considered a very important national holiday. Others argue that with Korea’s nuclear experiments in the past at issue in the international community, it could be a false explosion by North Korea to intensify the Korea’s nuclear issue. In other words, the North intentionally caused the explosion to deliver a message to the international community.
The government official said, “We will be able to know the exact cause only after North Korea makes an official statement or intelligence authorities announces the results of their analysis.”
(Choi Byung-mook, bmchoi@chosun.com )
It was all a forest fire according to CNN, can't we just move on?
The world would be a lot happier and safer if it woke up one day to the news that Stealth bombers just nuked the capitals of North Korea and Iran, along with all their nuclear facilities.
Sure, sure, there would be the expected outcries and condemnations, but in the long run, everybody would be happier.
“We will be able to know the exact cause only after North Korea makes an official statement or intelligence authorities announces the results of their analysis.”
I'll choose option "B."
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| The picture of the area around Young-jo-ri, Kim Hyong-jik County, Yanggang Province, N. Korea, taken by a satellite of Digital Globe Co.(American corporation) in Feb., 2003. The circle marks Young-jo-ri. The rectangle marks the probable blast site, 10km to the South-west of Young-jo-ri. A nearly vertical gray line is a railroad passing Young-jo-ri. The yellow line marks the boundary between Yanggang Province(right side of the line) and Jagang Province(the left side.) |
Ping!
Anything special about this site? Railway terminal? Bridge? Laboratory?
anybody have pictures?
Missile factory, some say.
A lot of military installations, according to what I heard. Underground missile bases, munition factories, military research labs, etc. They lost a lot of valuable assets, for sure.
Mmm, why all the mystery. Nuclear explosions, above and below ground, have distinct seimic characteristics. This was the main reason, not earthquakes, that seismic stations where set up all over the place, to verify copmliance with non-testing treaties.
were there any syrians scheduled to pick anything up????
Very interesting.Another railroad explosion?
Keep checking www.globalsecurity.org
They have access to a private spy sat and usually have great shots of events. They had good ones of the last big boom in N. Korea.
BTW, just what was the general consensus here on FR, about the real cause of the Ryongchon explosion?
Foul play.
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