The Korean Horn Prepares For Next Nuke (Daniel 7)

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North Korea building new tunnel at nuclear test site, satellites show
 

Further evidence of a new portal at North Korea’s nuclear test site. (Courtesy of 38 North/Airbus Defense & Space/Spot Image)
 
By Anna Fifield December 2 at 8:26 PM

TOKYO – North Korea appears to be building a new tunnel at its nuclear test site, new satellite pictures show, raising fears that the Pyongyang regime might be preparing to conduct a fourth atomic test.

Although there are no signs that a test is imminent, the construction does lead to one unpalatable conclusion, said Jeffrey Lewis, a respected nonproliferation expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

“Well, they’re not giving up their nuclear weapons,” said Lewis, who analyzed commercial satellite imagery in a new report for 38 North, a website dedicated to North Korea run by the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies.

The new tunnel makes it “more likely that they will conduct a test in the coming year,” Lewis said, although this also depended on factors such as stocks of fissile material and the political situation.
Since 2006, North Korea has conducted three nuclear detonations at its Punggye-ri test site, in a mountainous area in the north of the country. The most recent was in February 2013, just over a year into Kim Jong Un’s reign and a month before Xi Jinping became China’s president, putting a bitter chill on relations with North Korea’s neighbor and reluctant patron.

Kim has repeatedly asserted North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed country and has resolutely refused to return to multilateral talks aimed at persuading it to abandon its nuclear weapons program. But, to the surprise of many analysts, there has been no fourth test.

Recent satellite photos show that North Korea is excavating a new tunnel at the test site.

Significant construction, including of new covered buildings, began in April, Lewis wrote. By October and November, the satellites were showing an additional structure and what appear to be significant tailings, indicating excavation of a new tunnel is underway.

South Korean officials have also reached the same conclusion. “North Korea appears to be in the process of digging another tunnel,” an unnamed official told the Yonhap News Agency in late October, citing increased movement of people and cars in the area.

But Joel Wit, a former American diplomat who is now a visiting scholar at the U.S.-Korea Institute, warned against concluding a test was coming anytime soon, noting the construction had been going on for months.

“There’s no evidence that they have decided to conduct a test,” Wit said, “but it adds to their ability to do so.”

There are already three tunnels at the Punggye-ri site: the east portal, where North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and which does not appear to be maintained; the north portal that was used for the 2009 and 2013 tests; and the south portal, which has been under construction for six years and has not been used.

If the new tunnel, which Lewis called the west portal, connects to the same main tunnel, Pyongyang would be able to conduct additional tests in the future, he said.

Analysts must couch their assessments with “coulds” and “mays” because so little is known about North Korea’s nuclear program. Almost all information comes from satellites in orbit overhead, earthquake detectors that register the seismic activity caused by the detonations and spreadsheets.
The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security estimates the North Korean regime could have enriched enough plutonium and uranium for 22 nuclear weapons.

In this case, Lewis said that a constraint on testing could be the mountain itself: whether it’s big enough to contain repeated explosions or whether it is suffering from “tired mountain syndrome” as the rock weakens.

Babylon Tries To Stave Off Korean Nuclear Horn (Daniel 7:7)

 
United States warns N. Korea against making ‘mistake’ by conducting nuclear, missile test

September 16, 2015 by River Gaines

“All the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon including the uranium enrichment plant and 5 megawatt reactor were rearranged, changed or readjusted and they started normal operation”, a North Korean Atomic Energy Institute director was quoted as saying.

But this is nothing new, North Korea has made numerous threats against South Korea and the United States in the past.

North Korean state media trumpeted a now-familiar litany of threats, including the use of nuclear weapons against the United States “and other hostile forces” at any time if they “persistently seek their reckless hostile policy towards the [North] and behave mischievously”.

On Monday, the North’s aerospace agency said it is ready to launch new satellites aboard long-range rockets.

North Korea has also helped Iran supply Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists; Iran, of course, is responsible for thousands of American military casualties in Iraq. The nuclear program of North Korea is often used as a way to threaten and protect their leaders.

But Kim said Seoul has not seen any signs that Pyongyang is preparing for a launch.

The 70th anniversary of its ruling party is less than a month away and many believe it could fire an upgraded ballistic missile during that time.

When North Korea put its first satellite into space in late 2012, the United Nations announced it was a banned test of ballistic missile technology and immediately imposed sanctions. Military tensions escalated to a new peak after two South Korean soldiers were injured by land mines planted by the North inside the demilitarized zone, but Seoul and Pyongyang managed to ease animosities through marathon negotiations by top security officials.

We can’t but point out a couple of contradictions in the North’s stance about the missile launch, albeit with much reluctance because it may fan Pyongyang’s puerile solipsistic tendency of self-righteousness. “The resolutions by the United Nations Security Council should be fully implemented”.

The former has been under development since 2009, and was initially said by North Korea to be designed to produce low-enriched uranium to fuel the planned experimental light water, which would in turn allow for increased electricity generation in the country.

The North’s nuclear and missile threats came as its neighbors pressured the communist regime’s young ruler to stop his brinkmanship. Later that year it threatened Seoul and Washington with nuclear strikes.

Asked if there were indications North Korea is on the verge of a launch or test, he replied, “I’m not going to talk about intelligence from this podium”.

The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. There is no question about it. Japan would follow the U.S.
Observers say that the North’s increasingly harsh criticism of Park’s efforts for reunification could hurt the emerging mood for cross-border dialogue and further raise uncertainties for her “peninsular trust-building” policy.

Korean Horns On The Brink Of Nuclear War (Daniel 7:7)

On the brink of destruction: The real NUCLEAR threat if North Korea attacks the South

NORTH Korea and South Korea are on the brink of war – but what do we know about the two nations?

By Rory McKeown / Published 21st August 2015

The North has reportedly instructed its army to “enter a wartime state” and be “fully battle ready to launch surprise operations” after weeks of high tension with the South.

Crackpot dictator Kim Jong-un threatened military action if South Korea carried on pumping anti-North propaganda over the border through huge speakers in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ).
Kim also threatened action against the South and the West if a planned joint military exercise with the US went ahead on Monday.

The two nations exchanged military fire on Thursday (August 20) as tensions boiled over.

Jong-Un ordered his troops to be on a war footing from 5pm on Friday (9:30am GMT)and issued an ultimatum to the South to cease broadcasts by Saturday evening – or face military action.

North Korea is a notoriously secretive nation – while South Korea is allies with the West – but what do we know about the nations on the brink of conflict?

North Korea and South Korea have been divided since the end of World War 2 which led to the Korean War in 1950.

Since then the North and South have been at loggerheads and the tensions could be about to break into conflict.

The Korean War is still technically on-going as the two sides only signed an armistice.

NORTH KOREA

The citizens of North Korea follow the Juche ideology – a “creative application of Marxism-Leninism”.

It means education and food production are subsidised or state-funded but hundreds of thousands of people died in a famine in the late 1990s, and the country has struggled with food production since.
But the country ploughs millions into its military strength.

The Korean People’s Army consists mainly of ground forces, the navy and the air force and has 1.19million people – out of a population of 25,000,000 – on active duty according to its Military Balance 2011report.

It has one of the largest armies in the world.

Much has been made in the Western world of its nuclear threat.

In 2002, President George W Bush have a famous speech describing North Korea as part of the “Axis of Evil” including Iraq and Iran due to its steadfast approach to international relations and nuclear development programme.

It has carried out three underground nuclear tests since 2006 and it wasn’t until a year later that the government confirmed it had nuclear weaponry in its arsenal.

Siegfried Heckler, a nuclear expert at Stanford University’s Centre for International Security and Cooperation, estimated North Korea has enough weaponised plutonium for up to eight nuclear bombs.
Successful nuclear tests were also carried out in 2009 and 2013 despite international pressure to stop its nuclear programme.

It is understood North Korea has a range of long and short range missiles, some developed by the Soviet Union, and thousands of tonnes of chemical weapons including mustard gas, sarin and other nerve agents.

According to the CIA World Factbook: “North Korea’s history of regional military provocations; proliferation of military-related items; long-range missile development; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, and 2013; and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community.

“The regime in 2013 announced a new policy calling for the simultaneous development of its nuclear weapons program and its economy.”

North Korea’s main ally is China, which provides fuel and food aid, while it maintains a close relationship with Russia.

However positive ties with the US and South Korea are non-existent.

The promotion of Kim Jong-un has leader following the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in 2011 has done little to improve that.

Last year the secretive nation was brought to the forefront of the world’s news agenda last year following the production of American political comedy film The Interview.

Starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, the story surrounded two journalists who set up an interview with Kim Jong-un but are recruited by the CIA to assassinate him.

But the film proved controversial in North Korea and it threatened “stern” and “merciless” action against the US if it was released.

The portrayal of the president being assassinated was seen as an “act of war”.

It led to film distributors Sony Picture Entertainment being hacked by a group with ties to North Korea.

The threat led to many cinemas refusing to show the film and it was only released at selected cinemas.

However it managed to rake in around £17million in digital rentals, making it one of the most successful digital releases.

SOUTH KOREA

The South unleashed a relentless propaganda campaign to its enemy in the north after it claimed several of its soldiers were injured by land mines planted by the North in the Demilitarised area between the two nations.

It has rested to playing anti-Pyongyang messages through large speakers along the boarder.

And tensions heightened as Jong-Un threatened military retaliation if the broadcasts don’t cease.

If a conflict does erupt, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces will face a much larger army but will have significantly more advanced weaponry at its disposal.

The South’s army boasts around 630,000 active personal – almost half of what the North has – but has nearly 3,000,000 in reserve, making it one of the largest armed forces in the world.

It allocated £35trillion to its military budget last year and its arsenal has shells, missiles, and air defence weapons.

The air force also uses a number of aircrafts built by the US.

Korean Horns On The Brink Of Nuclear War (Daniel 7:7)

On the brink of destruction: The real NUCLEAR threat if North Korea attacks the South

NORTH Korea and South Korea are on the brink of war – but what do we know about the two nations?

By Rory McKeown / Published 21st August 2015

The North has reportedly instructed its army to “enter a wartime state” and be “fully battle ready to launch surprise operations” after weeks of high tension with the South.

Crackpot dictator Kim Jong-un threatened military action if South Korea carried on pumping anti-North propaganda over the border through huge speakers in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ).
Kim also threatened action against the South and the West if a planned joint military exercise with the US went ahead on Monday.

The two nations exchanged military fire on Thursday (August 20) as tensions boiled over.
Jong-Un ordered his troops to be on a war footing from 5pm on Friday (9:30am GMT)and issued an ultimatum to the South to cease broadcasts by Saturday evening – or face military action.

North Korea is a notoriously secretive nation – while South Korea is allies with the West – but what do we know about the nations on the brink of conflict?

North Korea and South Korea have been divided since the end of World War 2 which led to the Korean War in 1950.

Since then the North and South have been at loggerheads and the tensions could be about to break into conflict.

The Korean War is still technically on-going as the two sides only signed an armistice.
NORTH KOREA

The citizens of North Korea follow the Juche ideology – a “creative application of Marxism-Leninism”.

It means education and food production are subsidised or state-funded but hundreds of thousands of people died in a famine in the late 1990s, and the country has struggled with food production since.
But the country ploughs millions into its military strength.

The Korean People’s Army consists mainly of ground forces, the navy and the air force and has 1.19million people – out of a population of 25,000,000 – on active duty according to its Military Balance 2011report.

It has one of the largest armies in the world.

Much has been made in the Western world of its nuclear threat.

In 2002, President George W Bush have a famous speech describing North Korea as part of the “Axis of Evil” including Iraq and Iran due to its steadfast approach to international relations and nuclear development programme.

It has carried out three underground nuclear tests since 2006 and it wasn’t until a year later that the government confirmed it had nuclear weaponry in its arsenal.

Siegfried Heckler, a nuclear expert at Stanford University’s Centre for International Security and Cooperation, estimated North Korea has enough weaponised plutonium for up to eight nuclear bombs.

Successful nuclear tests were also carried out in 2009 and 2013 despite international pressure to stop its nuclear programme.
It is understood North Korea has a range of long and short range missiles, some developed by the Soviet Union, and thousands of tonnes of chemical weapons including mustard gas, sarin and other nerve agents.

According to the CIA World Factbook: “North Korea’s history of regional military provocations; proliferation of military-related items; long-range missile development; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, and 2013; and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community.

“The regime in 2013 announced a new policy calling for the simultaneous development of its nuclear weapons program and its economy.”

North Korea’s main ally is China, which provides fuel and food aid, while it maintains a close relationship with Russia.

However positive ties with the US and South Korea are non-existent.

The promotion of Kim Jong-un has leader following the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in 2011 has done little to improve that.

Last year the secretive nation was brought to the forefront of the world’s news agenda last year following the production of American political comedy film The Interview.

Starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, the story surrounded two journalists who set up an interview with Kim Jong-un but are recruited by the CIA to assassinate him.

But the film proved controversial in North Korea and it threatened “stern” and “merciless” action against the US if it was released.

The portrayal of the president being assassinated was seen as an “act of war”.

It led to film distributors Sony Picture Entertainment being hacked by a group with ties to North Korea.

The threat led to many cinemas refusing to show the film and it was only released at selected cinemas.

However it managed to rake in around £17million in digital rentals, making it one of the most successful digital releases.

SOUTH KOREA

The South unleashed a relentless propaganda campaign to its enemy in the north after it claimed several of its soldiers were injured by land mines planted by the North in the Demilitarised area between the two nations.

It has rested to playing anti-Pyongyang messages through large speakers along the boarder.
And tensions heightened as Jong-Un threatened military retaliation if the broadcasts don’t cease.
If a conflict does erupt, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces will face a much larger army but will have significantly more advanced weaponry at its disposal.

The South’s army boasts around 630,000 active personal – almost half of what the North has – but has nearly 3,000,000 in reserve, making it one of the largest armed forces in the world.

It allocated £35trillion to its military budget last year and its arsenal has shells, missiles, and air defence weapons.

The air force also uses a number of aircrafts built by the US.

Why South Korea Is One of Ten Nuclear Horns (Daniel 7:7)

US, S. Korea ‘create army unit to destroy North’s nukes’

Yahoo News

North Korean Nukes

South Korea said Thursday it would create a combined army unit with the United States, reportedly tasked with destroying North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction in the event of an all-out conflict.

The mechanised unit led by a US major general will be set up in the first half of next year, the South’s defence ministry said, as part of elaborate preparations for any future war between the two Koreas.

“It will be the first combined ‘field combat’ unit to carry out wartime operations,” a defence ministry spokesman said without elaborating on its mission.

If war breaks out, the unit would be tasked with eliminating weapons of mass destruction in the nuclear-armed North, Yonhap news agency said.

The contingent would have a joint office of US and South Korean staff in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, where the US 2nd Infantry Division guards a strategically important area as a deterrent to an invasion by North Korea.

In the event of a full-scale conflict, the combined unit would absorb a mechanised South Korean brigade and forces from the US division, which is armed with helicopters and other advanced weaponss.

Because the Korean conflict ended in an armistice instead of a peace treaty, the two Koreas are still technically at war.

Nearly 30,000 US troops are stationed in the South under a bilateral military accord.

If fresh hostilities broke out, the US commander in South Korea would assume control of the South’s 640,000 troops.

A transfer of command in a wartime setting was set for 2015, which would allow South Korea control its own troops, but the South wants a postponement citing the increased threat from North Korea’s nuclear and missile development.

In June, North Korea announced the successful test of new high-precision, tactical guided missiles.

In the following months the North conducted a series of missile and rocket tests, raising tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile South Korea and the United States held an annual military drill in August despite condemnation by North Korea which had threatened a “merciless” retaliatory strike.

The drill simulated the response to a nuclear attack threat for the first time, according to the South’s defence ministry, using a strategy of “tailored” deterrence developed last year in the course of joint defence talks.

UN resolutions bar Pyongyang from conducting any launches using ballistic missile technology. But the North has defended its missile launches as a legitimate exercise in self-defence.