north korea nuclear test

[tazzietiger]

On news its saying south korea reporting a seismic activity near north korea test site.
It's came as no surprise given over past weeks they have threatened to conduct a new test.

EXPERTS and South Korean officials said North Korea’s nuclear test today was likely bigger than previous blasts in 2006 and 2009 and could be a six to seven kiloton explosion.
The rogue state is thought to have carried through on its threat to conduct an atomic test with seismic sensors detecting a magnitude 5 shudder in the vicinity of North Korea’s testing range at midday local time (2pm AEST).
Official confirmation that the tremor was due to a test had not been given yesterday, but the area of the shake is not prone to earthquakes and South Korea and Japan had convened emergency cabinet meetings and the UN Security Council was preparing to convene.
South Korea and the US placed their forces in South Korea on alert in the wake of the rumoured blast as reports emerged that North Korea may have yesterday given the US and China advance warning of the test.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-be-nuclear-test/story-e6frg6so-1226576256804

 

[rdhopkins2]

It's a worry that any county has a nuclear weapon program, let alone a rogue one like NK.
Let's hope that nothing more comes from it.

 

[R00StaR]

Our Asian neighbors appear to be getting very testy of late. Japan not at all impressed and threatening sanctions of their own and 'whatever it takes' to keep their people safe.

Then only last week:

Chinese Warship ‘Locked Radar’ on Japanese Ship

Japan lodged a formal protest with China after a Chinese warship aimed a radar used to guide missiles at a Japanese ship, Japan’s defense minister said today, raising the stakes in an ongoing spat over disputed islands in the East China Sea.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/02/chinese-warship-locked-radar-on-japanese-ship/

 

[rayven]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/08/w...an-weighs-raising-military-spending.html?_r=0

Mr. Abe did not release details of his intent on the military revisions, but news reports said the replacement plan would probably reverse the Democrats’ cuts, starting with a 120 billion yen, or $1.4 billion, increase in the military budget in the 2013 fiscal year, which begins in April. That would be the first increase in Japanese military spending since 2002, as the nation has tightened its belt during a long economic decline.
The reports said the new spending plan, proposed by members of Mr. Abe’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, would seek to increase the number of ground troops, strengthen air and sea defenses around the disputed islands, and buy new early-warning aircraft to guard against Chinese intrusions near the islands, as well as missile launchings by North Korea.

Japan have more important things to do...

http://gaia-health.com/gaia-blog/2013-02-05/fukushima-fish-with-2540-times-allowed-radiation/

According to Dr. Suzuki, the rate of thyroid cysts and nodules in children affected by Fukushima is 43.7%—approaching half [10,11]. This is 20 times higher than associated with Chernobyl![12,13] There is no reason to expect that to decrease. The radiation, as clearly documented by the massively radiated fish discussed above, is still increasing.

 

[Tasmaniac]

I really wonder what the NK leadership's long term plan is.

Surely they don't think they will be able to carry on forever as they are, sooner or later the country is going to implode.

 

[Tasmaniac]

I suppose the big concern, is when the leadership realise they are about to implode they try to blackmail SK/Japan/USA with threats to get a genuinely HUGE injection of food/energy/cash.

Having growled so many times over so many years, they get ignored, and since they're going down anyway they might decide to punish those who won't bow to the blackmail and lauch a full on pre-emptive strike.

Tens of millions dead.

On the bright side we would get some spectacular sunsets for a few years.

 

[MrNatural]

Obviously, NK possessing a nuclear arsenal is not great for the world, but a part of me can't help but think it's hypocritical for the main nuclear powers to condemn NK for possessing nuclear weapons, when them themselves possess the same weapons and refuse to disarm...

 

[rayven]

Iand since they're going down anyway they might decide to punish those who won't bow to the blackmail and lauch a full on pre-emptive strike.

Tens of millions dead.

On the bright side we would get some spectacular sunsets for a few years.

You described a nuclear armed Isreal..

 

[tazzietiger]

Bob Carr has cancelled the invitation for North Korean diplomats to visit and look at opening a embassy here in the wake of the nuclear test.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...or-a-new-embassy/story-fn59nm2j-1226577904409

 

[Slax]

Carr has now closed the door on North Korea re-opening an embassy in Australia. I fail to see what purpose this serves except to appease South Korea and the USA. I actually think it is counter productive considering that we want to play statesman on the world stage, having some proper path to talking with North Korea could actually be helpful, realistically won't produce anything but looks good if you at least try.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Carr has now closed the door on North Korea re-opening an embassy in Australia. I fail to see what purpose this serves except to appease South Korea and the USA. I actually think it is counter productive considering that we want to play statesman on the world stage, having some proper path to talking with North Korea could actually be helpful, realistically won't produce anything but looks good if you at least try.

They've threatened a pre-emptive Nuclear strike on the US, even the Chinese want nothing to do with them any more.

 

[tazzietiger]

North Korea has lifted up their rhetoric after the UN passed a new round of sanctions and ahead of South Korean and American military holding joint exercises next week.

 

[Slax]

The UN is mad, whilst I've thought this for a while it has shown it again, they just love picking on rogue states to show they do something, but never tackle a major power.

We all agree that North Korea is nuts, their leaders are mad and they enjoy systematic torture, but saying you want to send them to the Hague is not the way to improve communications with them. There is no way they'd be willing to continue talks with statements like these coming from the UN
http://www.theage.com.au/world/nort...nazi-era-un-inquiry-finds-20140218-hvcsm.html

 

[Power Raid]

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/...accident-north-korea-nuclear-test-site-report

More than 200 people are feared to have died when a tunnel caved in at North Korea's nuclear test site after its latest detonation, a Japanese news report said Tuesday.