Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Is North Korea On The Verge Of Having A 'Nuclear Missile Deterrent'?

A screen shows a rocket being launched from a launch pad at the West Sea Satellite Launch Site, at North Korea's satellite control centre in Cholsan county, North Pyongan province, in this photo released by Kyodo December 12, 2012. North Korea successfully launched a rocket on Wednesday, boosting the credentials of its new leader and stepping up the threat the isolated and impoverished state poses to opponents. Credit: Reuters/Kyodo

North Korea May Be Close To Developing Nuclear Missile, Some Say -- Reuters

(Reuters) - North Korea, which this month threatened to carry out a fourth nuclear test, may be closer than previously thought to putting a nuclear warhead on a missile, some experts say, making a mockery of years of U.N. sanctions aimed at curbing such a program.

North Korea has long boasted of making strides in acquiring a "nuclear deterrent", but there had been general skepticism that it could master the step of miniaturizing a nuclear warhead to mount on a ballistic missile.

No one outside the inner circle of North Korea's nuclear program likely knows what advances the country has made. But there has been a shift in thinking by some who study North Korea full time since it conducted a nuclear test in February last year and amid on-off indications it is preparing another.

Read more ....

My Comment: I suspect that North Korea is still a long way-off from having a nuclear missile capability .... but no one is 100% sure on where North Korea is at in it's nuclear and missile programs. On a side note .... China is finally starting to show that it is concerned over developments in North Korea's nuclear program .... China 'uses channels' to warn North Korea against nuclear test: sources -- Reuters

Update: U.S. Wants Better Intel Sharing with South Korea, Japan Over North Korea Nukes -- Defense One/Global Security Newswire

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