North Korea has plutonium ready for up to 5 nuclear bombs

[Steven]

North Korea today threatened to *"shatter" the conservative South Korean government in Seoul, as reports emerged that Pyongyang claims to have weaponised enough plutonium stocks to produce four or five nuclear bombs.

Relations across the heavily fortified border have turned frosty since South Korea's president, Lee Myung-bak, came to office last year promising to get tough on his communist neighbour after a decade of attempts by liberal governments to engage with Pyongyang. In December, North Korea closed border crossings and accused Seoul of plotting to assassinate the North's leader, Kim Jong-il.

But today's rare statement from the Korean People's Army – read on television by a uniformed officer – is likely to further raise tensions on the divided peninsula.

"Now that traitor Lee Myung-bak and his group opted for confrontation, denying national reconciliation and cooperation, backed by foreign forces, our revolutionary armed forces are compelled to take an all-out confrontational posture to shatter them," the statement said.

"Strong military measures will follow from our revolutionary armed forces," the spokesman added, warning of a clash along a disputed maritime border. Disagreements over the boundary triggered naval skirmishes in 1999 and 2000.

The statement came as an American scholar said North Korean officials had told him Pyongyang has weaponised 30.8 kg (68lb) of plutonium, enough for four or five bombs.

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[Plato]

Originally Posted by Steven

North Korea today threatened to *"shatter" the conservative South Korean government in Seoul, as reports emerged that Pyongyang claims to have weaponised enough plutonium stocks to produce four or five nuclear bombs.

Relations across the heavily fortified border have turned frosty since South Korea's president, Lee Myung-bak, came to office last year promising to get tough on his communist neighbour after a decade of attempts by liberal governments to engage with Pyongyang. In December, North Korea closed border crossings and accused Seoul of plotting to assassinate the North's leader, Kim Jong-il.

But today's rare statement from the Korean People's Army – read on television by a uniformed officer – is likely to further raise tensions on the divided peninsula.

"Now that traitor Lee Myung-bak and his group opted for confrontation, denying national reconciliation and cooperation, backed by foreign forces, our revolutionary armed forces are compelled to take an all-out confrontational posture to shatter them," the statement said.

"Strong military measures will follow from our revolutionary armed forces," the spokesman added, warning of a clash along a disputed maritime border. Disagreements over the boundary triggered naval skirmishes in 1999 and 2000.

The statement came as an American scholar said North Korean officials had told him Pyongyang has weaponised 30.8 kg (68lb) of plutonium, enough for four or five bombs.

Is this a bluff or not. This is a very scary announcement. They might have the plutonium, but to they have the bomb?

[Drums of War]

Originally Posted by Plato

Is this a bluff or not. This is a very scary announcement. They might have the plutonium, but to they have the bomb?

yeap, they may have plutonium, and that may make them a dirty bomb but to creae nukes it takes a lot of know how that i doubt the NKs know. The "bomb" they tested like 2 years ago failed.

[Patrick Henry]

They could be bluffing, but if they aren't and they have the warheads, this could get very dirty.

[Dreams]

Originally Posted by Drums of War

yeap, they may have plutonium, and that may make them a dirty bomb but to creae nukes it takes a lot of know how that i doubt the NKs know. The "bomb" they tested like 2 years ago failed.

They can sell those dirty bombs to terrorists. That's were the real danger is.

[Undilino]

Well if they actually could create the nukes then would they use them or sell them to the terrorists like Dreams said.

[Infinite911911]

Originally Posted by Dreams

They can sell those dirty bombs to terrorists. That's were the real danger is.

We can not let that happen....