Assessing North Korea's Nuclear Threat

A missile is carried by a military vehicle during a parade to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of a truce in the 1950-1953 Korean War, at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang July 27, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Jason Lee

Wall Street Journal: Seoul, U.S. Split on North Korea Nuclear Threat

Comments mark a high-level public split over the level of North Korea’s capabilities

SEOUL—South Korea’s vice defense minister on Monday dismissed an assessment from a senior U.S. military official that North Korea is able to mount a nuclear weapon on a missile that could threaten the U.S. mainland.

The comments from South Korea’s Baek Seung-joo mark a high-level public split over the level of North Korea’s threat as Washington considers a request to put a new missile defense system in South Korea.

On Tuesday, Adm. William Gortney, head of the U.S. Northern Command, said North Korea is capable of mounting a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental ballistic missile known as the KN-08.

Update #1: S. Korea, Japan Discuss N. Korea Nuclear Threat Amid Tensions -- VOA
Update #2: US, South Korean Officials: No North Korean Nuclear Test Imminent -- The Diplomat

WNU Editor: There is no agreement among these nations on North Korea's nuclear program because they do not no for sure on what is exactly happening in North Korea today.