SOUTH KOREA CONSIDERS INTRODUCING US TACTICAL NUKES FOR DEFENSE IN VIEW OF N.KOREA (NEW) NUKE PLANT

Nikkei Shimbun (in Japanese) ^ | 22 November 2010 | Shimao Kitao, Journalist

[AmericanInTokyo]

KIM TAE YON made the statement just now in S. Korean Parliament (budget committee) that this is due to the just released information that North Korea has been building a light water nuclear reactor at amazing speed, details just released to the world and satellite photos also revealed.

Minister of Defense of South Korea Kim stated that this is to put a halt to North Korean nuclear weapons ambition, and is now being considered, which will go back on South Korea's committment in 1991 under President Roh Tae Woo to never manufacturer, house or use nuclear weapons in South Korea.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I was watching follow-up reports on new uranium centrifuge revelation in SK media. One of reports was quoting an expert who suspected that N. Korea has more centrifuges stashed somewhere away from the site they revealed to Dr. Hecker. They just moved them ans reassembled at the site to show him.

I agree that they have more somewhere. When N. Korea shows something of this sensitive nature, there are more they have not shown outsiders. For one item revealed, there are a few more they still hide from us. I am not sure if this is a make-shift installation for just PR-show though. Another local report says that they can indigenously produce aluminum tubes for centrifuge for several years. They just have trouble getting some necessary electronic control equipments, which they cannot produce yet.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Kim Jong-il and Jong-eun both see signs of their regime wavering, and the bomb is the way out of this. They believe that "The bomb" is the way out of their current problem. Whether outsiders agree with it or not is beside the point.

With world financial market on the thin ice, they can now get more focused world's attention, and loud call for appeasement from banksters.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Financial Times, beat your appeasement drum again. You did when Cheonan was sunk. Please don't fail us and do it again./sarc

[AmericanInTokyo]

They’ll do it every time.

[TigerLikesRooster]

From ISIS site:

Figure 1. November 4, 2010 DigitalGlobe satellite image of the fuel fabrication facility at the Yongbyon nuclear site in North Korea. In his report, Hecker noted that the new gas centrifuge facility has a blue roof and is approximately 120 meters long. ISIS assesses that this building is this gas centrifuge facility.

Figure 2. DigitalGlobe satellite image on Google Earth showing the same building at the fuel fabrication facility on February 18, 2007. The building was later repurposed to house gas centrifuges

Figure 3. Wide view DigitalGlobe satellite image of the Yongbyon nuclear site. To the north is the site of the disabled 5MWe reactor where North Korea is constructing a new experimental light water reactor. Towards the southern end of the site is the disabled fuel fabrication facility. This facility contains the new gas centrifuge facility.

[Tzimisce]

No, no - the last thing South Korea needs is nukes.

Nothing good will come of their “Cowboy Diplomacy”.

What they need is wimpy, French Homosexual diplomacy - like we have under Obama.

It’s doing great for us. :)

[Whenifhow]

Ping

[Whenifhow]

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization? What is it? Why Does it Matter?

http://newzeal.blogspot.com/2010/11/shanghai-cooperation-organization-what.html

Excerpt from the October 25, 2006 edition of the Communist Party of Australia’s Guardian:

“The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries are going to be the new powerhouse of the world. It is in India’s enlighten­ed interest that we understand its importance as we are a country which desperately needs energy”, CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat says in a statement this month. “Trilateral co-operation between India, China and Russia has symbolic significance as it can dispel the notion that the 21st century is an American century.”

[The Comedian]

Thanks Whenifhow -

"Nuclear Terror" ping.

Low volume (I hope) ping list covering atomic/nuclear/thermonuclear terrifying events and discussions.

FReepmail me if you want on or off The Comedian's "Nuclear Terror" ping list...

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[Johnny B.]

Hmm... I wonder if the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization" is anything like the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere?

[SunkenCiv]

This is a problem? :’) Thanks AmericanInTokyo.

[wolfcreek]

Mutually Assured Destruction

[driftdiver]

We’ve had tactical nukes in South Korea for a long long time. Everyone over there knows where they are.

[rdl6989]

Thread bump.

[Caipirabob]

Thank you for all of your great posts. Really, they are of real value to this forum!

[driftdiver]

Nuclear proliferation is not a good thing, even when it involves a good country like South Korea.

[jhpigott]

Well, whether we or don’t currently have tactical nukes stationed on the peninsula, the official policy of not having then on the peninsula looks like it may be going to the wastebin.

But after the response (or lack thereof) from the Lee govt to the Cheonan sinking, I don’t hold out much hope that he is going to stand up to this gangsterism shown by the NORKs, other than some tough sounding words.

[pgkdan]

Unless South Korea already has tactical nukes on hand I doubt that they’ll get anything from barry any time soon. The man is dedicated to the nuclear disarmament of the US and our allies...what makes anyone in Korea think he’ll change course for them? Does anyone lnow if the South Koreans already have tactical nukes? Besides what may or may not be on their soil under US control?

[TigerLikesRooster]

Agreed. Lee is not really a tough guy. While his overall policy steered to the right from what happened during sorry days under Green Frog (Roh Mu-hyun) and Evil Penguin (Kim Dae-jung,) he is not the one who can take heat and prevail.

[drpix]

Tactical nukes! Douglas MacArthur’s ghost is knowingly smiling.