Posted on 02/11/2013 10:39:17 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea conducted a nuclear test on Tuesday, South Korea's defence ministry said, after seismic activity measuring 4.9 magnitude was registered by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The epicentre of the seismic activity, which was only one km below the Earth's surface, was close to the North's known nuclear test site.
"We've been informed by the South Koreans that there's been a (North Korean) nuclear test," a U.N. Security Council diplomat told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
An international nuclear test monitoring agency said the location of the seismic event was "roughly congruent with" 2006 and 2008 tests carried out by the reclusive state and had "clear explosion-like characteristics".
North Korea, which had been threatening a third nuclear test, had informed Beijing and Washington on Monday of plans to undertake a test, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.
The isolated state, which is banned under U.N. Security Council resolutions from developing nuclear and missile technology, did not make any immediate comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at ca.news.yahoo.com ...
H/T to Drudge.
The seismic’s so far look to be the same as their 2011 test. If their material weight was the same, no gainful advances; just a REAL loud firecracker to shake the world down with. On the other hand, what are the testing for here and can they put “things” in orbit?
Yeah, and Iran has a couple “things” floating around the globe with no “real” stated intent.
2 things. They could be making smaller versions for loading on missiles (my guess) or preparing primaries for thermonuclear weapons which need relatively small 1kt yields.
I agree with your statement. The DPRK could hand out a lot of havoc in the region with short range solutions. Or they could be working towards something very BIG. Bottom line, who are they trying to either force into a castle position or do they actually think they can maneuver into a mate position? The norks are hard to anticipate when hungry (compound too reports of the new kid not being received well, where does THAT leave “us”?).
My head is starting to hurt, just thinking about it.....time for bed.
party popper has already been lit..Guess there’s no downside to some shut eye now...
Playing dangerous games on their back porch, instead of the beach, hoping to intimidate the neighbors on the other side of the county.
China's rusty pocket knife.
Yep. They sure like to disrespect the US and SK because they know nothing will happen
...so are South Koreans going to start liking us?
No?
Then let the North have them...
One kilometer below the Earth’s surface?
It’s a miracle the North Koreans have the technology to make a hole that deep.
I wonder how many slave laborers died digging it?
I bet the WH, in its outrage is deeply disturbed.
Oohhh. I'm sure this struck fear and trembling into the hearts of the NORKs. Next Obama will threaten to hold his breath and turn blue if the NORKs don't do his bidding.
Before he leaves for Vegas.
The buzz is that this test differs from the 2 previous attempts in that this one is an enriched uranium device rather than a plutonium-based implosion device.
The Uranium device is much simpler, and is almost impossible to screw up. It also uses expensive bomb grade uranium, which requires centrifuges spinning for years to accomplish and provide a rather low yield. Plutonium is a byproduct of a fast breeder reactor, and is easily separated, MUCH cheaper to acquire and has a much more significant yield and can be enhanced to improve the yield.
That said, This device would not be prolific due to the enrichment process.
This test was to prove to the world that they are significant. Another failure would have been disastrous for the leaders of this Prison Camp masquerading as a country.
I like that description.
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