North Korean Nuke Test Confirmed
Charles Johnson
Mon Oct 16, 2006 at 11:33 am PDT • Views: 222
The North Korean nuclear test has been confirmed. (Hat tip: Dirk.)
WASHINGTON - Air samples gathered last week contain radioactive materials that confirm that North Korea conducted an underground nuclear explosion, National Intelligence Director John Negroponte’s office said Monday.
In a short statement posted on its Web site, Negroponte’s office also confirmed that the size of the explosion was less than 1 kiloton, a comparatively small nuclear explosion. Each kiloton is equal to the force produced by 1,000 tons of TNT.
“Analysis of air samples collected on October 11, 2006, detected radioactive debris which confirms that North Korea conducted an underground nuclear explosion in the vicinity of P’unggye on October 9, 2006,” the statement said.
And there’s another one in the works.
As the United States confirmed the test, military and intelligence officials have told NBC News that North Korea may be preparing to conduct what could be a test of a second nuclear device. U.S. spy satellites have detected increased activity around a second possible underground test site, “the same kind of activity” seen in the weeks prior to the nuke test a week ago.
Frank says: