by J Robbins

Created on: April 20, 2009

The Grim Reality - North Korea Maintains Path to Nuclear Capability

Whether North Korea's despotic leader, Kim Jong-Il, continues in his leadership or succumbs to poor health, you cannot "un-ring" a nuclear bell. Nor can there be illusions about any of the country's future leadership becoming strong American allies. North Korea's April 5 missile test definitely poses continuing foreign policy issues and threats to the U.S.

In the early 1980's North Korea built its first atomic reactor some 60 miles outside Pyongyang (the nation's capitol). By May 1992 Hans Blix, then head of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) reported touring a large North Korean facility which fit the definition of a plutonium reprocessing plant.

Two years later a May 1994 U.S. Congressional Research Service Report (CSR) found evidence of 8,000 fuel rods (enough to provide plutonium for 4-5 nuclear devices) had been removed from Yongbyon's first processing plant. Despite claims of the facility being used merely for electric power, satellite photos showed no required attached power lines.

In August 1998 North Korea tested a Taepdong-1 missile (with an estimated range up to 1,800 miles.) By the time of their July 4, 2006 Taepdong-2 test the range had extended to over 9,000 miles - enough to reach the western shores of the U.S. The second stage of that missile landed off Japan's eastern coast. The United States is required to defend Japan against military attack under the 1960 amendment to the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.

In 2003 North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This was followed by "Six-Party" talks, consisting of North Korea, the U.S., China, South Korea, Russia and Japan. After 4 years of delicate but fruitless negotiations North Korea finally agreed to curb it's nuclear program. In July 2007, the IAEA confirmed that North Korea shut down its Yongbyon reactor and plutonium-separation plant. In October 2007, U.S. officials were on the ground with North Korean scientists to disable those facilities.

April's events show the cat and mouse game regarding North Korea's nuclear program has reverted back once again.

Numerous associated areas show ancillary threats to the United States as well:

1. According to Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee:

"Today's actions not only show North Korea's advancing military capabilities, but also the growing and dangerous partnership between North Korea and Iran," Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen said. "Iranian missile experts reportedly aided the preparations of this latest long-range missile test, just as they were present for Pyongyang's previous test on July 4, 2006."

2. U.S. intelligence information released on April 24, 2008 - seven months after Israeli Air Force jets bombed a remote facility near al-Kibar in Syria - suggested the bombed facility housed a nuclear reactor for a military program being built with North Korean assistance.

3. China joined Russia, (two nations who refused participation in the 1960 Security Treaty) in also opposing a United Nations resolution to sanction North Korea for conducting its April 5 missile test. A weaker Security Council resolution was issued instead. In response North Korea declared it will resume work on its nuclear program by restarting activities in its Yongbyon Research Center, and it officially withdrew from the six-party talks.

The clock is ticking. This is not a standard crisis in the making. Nuclear technology in the hands of North Korea, Iran and/or Syria ushers in a whole new world order affecting the safety and security for all - not only in the U.S., but around the globe.

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