ID :
40330
Tue, 01/13/2009 - 11:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/40330
The shortlink copeid
N. Korea developed nuclear weapons, missile delivery systems: report
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has developed both nuclear weapons
and missile delivery systems a U.S. defense report said Monday, expressing
concerns about the possible proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in
Northeast Asia.
"North Korea, India and Pakistan have acquired both nuclear weapons and missile
delivery systems, while Iran is apparently headed down the same road," said the
report of the Pentagon's task force on nuclear weapons management led by former
Defense Secretary James Schlesinger.
"The derivative danger from North Korea or Iran is that they may may pass nuclear
weapons or nuclear technology to others," the report said. "Proliferation
elsewhere remains a strong possibility, particularly in East Asia."
The report is the second part of the Pentagon commission's report on the review
of the Pentagon's nuclear mission.
In the first report released last week, the commission said that North Korea
"might have been encouraged to believe that they were reasonably safe from a
nuclear response."
The report comes as U.S. President George W. Bush and other senior officials have
talked about North Korea's uranium- as well as plutonium-based nuclear programs
just weeks before Bush's terms ends early next week.
National security adviser, Stephen Hadley, also depicted North Korea last week as
"an early challenge" for the incoming Barack Obama administration, predicting
North Korea will try to renegotiate a six-party aid-for-denuclearization deal to
test the fledgling Obama administration after its inauguration on Jan. 20.
In contrast to the U.S. government's official position not to recognize North
Korea as a nuclear power, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last month North
Korea has built several nuclear bombs, and U.S. intelligence and defense reports
have categorized the North as a nuclear weapons state.
Obama has also said the North has eight nuclear weapons, pledging to support the
six-party nuclear talks while seeking more direct bilateral engagement.
North Korea considers its nuclear arsenal as its only working deterrent against
an invasion, saying Iraq was invaded due to lack of a nuclear arsenal.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has developed both nuclear weapons
and missile delivery systems a U.S. defense report said Monday, expressing
concerns about the possible proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in
Northeast Asia.
"North Korea, India and Pakistan have acquired both nuclear weapons and missile
delivery systems, while Iran is apparently headed down the same road," said the
report of the Pentagon's task force on nuclear weapons management led by former
Defense Secretary James Schlesinger.
"The derivative danger from North Korea or Iran is that they may may pass nuclear
weapons or nuclear technology to others," the report said. "Proliferation
elsewhere remains a strong possibility, particularly in East Asia."
The report is the second part of the Pentagon commission's report on the review
of the Pentagon's nuclear mission.
In the first report released last week, the commission said that North Korea
"might have been encouraged to believe that they were reasonably safe from a
nuclear response."
The report comes as U.S. President George W. Bush and other senior officials have
talked about North Korea's uranium- as well as plutonium-based nuclear programs
just weeks before Bush's terms ends early next week.
National security adviser, Stephen Hadley, also depicted North Korea last week as
"an early challenge" for the incoming Barack Obama administration, predicting
North Korea will try to renegotiate a six-party aid-for-denuclearization deal to
test the fledgling Obama administration after its inauguration on Jan. 20.
In contrast to the U.S. government's official position not to recognize North
Korea as a nuclear power, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last month North
Korea has built several nuclear bombs, and U.S. intelligence and defense reports
have categorized the North as a nuclear weapons state.
Obama has also said the North has eight nuclear weapons, pledging to support the
six-party nuclear talks while seeking more direct bilateral engagement.
North Korea considers its nuclear arsenal as its only working deterrent against
an invasion, saying Iraq was invaded due to lack of a nuclear arsenal.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
