South Korean intelligence officials said on Tuesday that while North Korea may have manufactured nuclear bombs as claimed, it lacked the technology to deliver them by missile.
The state intelligence service, however, said the communist state might still be capable of striking targets by placing the bombs on aircraft, as the United States did in Hiroshima during World War II, according to a report by the Yonhap news agency.
”Even if North Korea has developed nuclear weapons, it would be one or two old-style devices that can be delivered by plane,” the National Intelligence Service officials were quoted as saying during a briefing to the National Assembly.
”In order to put a nuclear bomb on a missile, they should make it weigh less than 500kg, but we don’t think North Korea has acquired such technology,” Yonhap quoted the officials as saying.
The intelligence officials also said there was little possibility that the North had exported its nuclear technology abroad, Yonhap said. That counters recent claims by United States officials who said there is strong evidence that North Korea sold processed uranium to Libya.
North Korea announced last Thursday that it has nuclear weapons and was boycotting disarmament talks, escalating its nuclear standoff with the United States and its allies.
Since the revelation, the United States, South Korea and China — the North’s last major ally — have renewed diplomatic efforts to persuade Pyongyang to return to six-nation talks aimed at getting the impoverished North to give up nuclear weapons development in return for economic benefits.
On Tuesday, South Korea stepped up its diplomacy, with the Defence Ministry saying it has proposed high-level military talks with North Korea, focusing on ways to avoid accidental clashes now that the North has claimed to have atomic arms.
”North Korea has yet to respond to our proposal, but we are expecting the North side to make a sincere and positive response,” the ministry said.
South Korean officials have said it’s too early to declare the North a nuclear power, saying the alleged weapons haven’t been tested or confirmed.
Hong Seok-hyun, South Korea’s newly appointed ambassador to Washington, said on Tuesday that he believed North Korea’s announcement ”was meant to boost its negotiating position”.
”It also was meant to urge the United States to show more sincerity,” Hong was quoted as saying by Yonhap.
Still, the North also has reportedly developed another Scud missile with a longer range and better accuracy. A US reconnaissance satellite detected the missile, with an estimated range of up to 1 000km, one or two years ago, the daily Chosun Ilbo reported, citing anonymous South Korean officials.
North Korea shocked the region in 1998 by testing a three-stage Taepodong-1 missile that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific.
That missile is believed to have a 2 500km range, enough to reach all but the most far-flung of Japan’s islands.
In Pyongyang, ruling Workers’ Party officials and military officers gathered on Tuesday to celebrate the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il with defiant rhetoric, according to the North’s official news agency, KCNA. Kim turns 63 on Wednesday.
”If the US recklessly opts for a war of aggression despite the repeated warning of the [North], our army and people will mobilise all potentials … and deal merciless crushing blows at the aggressors and achieve a final victory in the confrontation with the US,” said Choe Thae Bok, a secretary of the Workers’ Party Central Committee.
Also on Tuesday, dozens of South Korean tourists arrived at Dora Observation Post, 60km north of Seoul, to peep into the North.
Many of the tourists expressed concerns over North Korea’s declaration last week, and appeared to be shocked by the closeness of North Korea as seen from the South Korean military vantage point.
”It’s so close that I am thinking if they invade, we are all going to die,” Ji In-jong, a 70-year-old tourist. – Sapa-AP