U.S. officially confirms 2nd nuclear blast by N. Korea on May 25

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, June 15 (Yonhap) -- The United States Monday officially confirmed
that North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test on May 25.

In a statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said, "The
U.S. intelligence community assesses that North Korea probably conducted an
underground nuclear explosion in the vicinity of Punggye on May 25, 2009."
The statement estimated the explosion yield at "approximately a few kilotons,"
adding, "Analysis of the event continues."
Estimations of the yield vary between four and 20 kilotons among countries
gauging the explosion. However, a few kilotons is considered a success, unlike
the first nuclear detonation conducted in 2006 by the North, which was less than
one kiloton.
Experts say no one knows what the intended yield was.
The atomic blast at Hiroshima in 1945 was the equivalent of about 10 kilotons of
TNT.
It is the first official confirmation by any U.S. government agency of the
nuclear test, which Pyongyang said was done on May 25 to "bolster its nuclear
deterrent for self-defense."
Soon after the North's announcement, South Korean and U.S. officials said that
they detected seismic tremors from the northeastern city of Poongkye-ri
(Punggye), North Hamgyong Province, near the site where the North detonated its
first nuclear device in 2006.
On May 26, the U.S. State Department said, "The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed
that a seismic event took place consistent with a test."
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, also told CNN on
that day, "There's no indication that it wasn't as they say. It will take us a
couple of days to verify this test."
In response, the United Nations Security Council imposed stronger financial
sanctions and an overall arms embargo, including inspections of sea, land and air
cargo suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction in international waters.
Pyongyang, in turn, has threatened to begin enriching uranium for further nuclear
bombs, weaponize all its plutonium and, if attacked by the U.S. and its allies,
stage a nuclear war.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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