N. Korea's continued defiance of the UN Security Council

[tolstoi]

---

i'm afraid Kim Jong II has an inner child for fireworks

[digitalsuperman]

that is soo cool...kudos to KIM JONG-IL :mrgreen:

[omad]

that was not just a mere opinion, i can back up some facts on the NOKOR economic status..according to this data here, NOKOR's GDP [last year] was just a slump $40 billion
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...k/geos/kn.htmlfacts? c'mon man.. the $40 B was just an estimate because N Korea doesn't / wouldn't publish any reliable NIA data. comparing the Philippines with N Korea is like comparing apples to oranges 'coz our country, while poor, still has allocations for every aspect of our government while N Korea's only focus is on their military. that's why their people are suffering (malnutrition, food shortages, poor living conditions) because they forgo the basics just to concentrate on their nuke projects. that's the scary part..

and here's how they ca me up with the $40 B you're talking about.
__________________________________________________ ________________
GDP (purchasing power parity): $40 billion

note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus Maddison in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2005 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2005 est.)
__________________________________________________ ________________

[omad]

the economic status of a certain country is the best indicator for its NUCLEAR program capability..simple mathematics.simple mathematics... what will you compute if there's no reliable data available? with the $40 B estimate that you've given, add that with N Korea's will to make it's nuke program work, that's just a recipe for disaster. just browse thru that chronology that you've posted and see for yourself if N Korea is just playing games or maybe "bluffing". here's the link to the site you posted.

if the US, Japan and S Korea thinks that N Korea is up to something then I would take their lead... that's simple logic. :mrgreen:

[cooldude75ph]

It seems that the North Koreans are pulling the chaines of the US in an effort to lift some of the imbargoes imposed on them...

[SPRINGFIELD_XD_40]

Hadlok man mo na dugay na kaau na .. starting from other Asian countries na confirmed na gani na naay NUKE WARHEADS like Pakistan and India , kana NoKOR nag testing pa lang na .

[tolstoi]

that was not just a mere opinion, i can back up some facts on the NOKOR economic status..according to this data here, NOKOR's GDP [last year] was just a slump $40 billion
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...k/geos/kn.htmlfacts? c'mon man.. the $40 B was just an estimate because N Korea doesn't / wouldn't publish any reliable NIA data. comparing the Philippines with N Korea is like comparing apples to oranges 'coz our country, while poor, still has allocations for every aspect of our government while N Korea's only focus is on their military. that's why their people are suffering (malnutrition, food shortages, poor living conditions) because they forgo the basics just to concentrate on their nuke projects. that's the scary part..

and here's how they ca me up with the $40 B you're talking about.
__________________________________________________ ________________
GDP (purchasing power parity): $40 billion

note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates for North Korea that were made by Angus Maddison in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2005 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2005 est.)
__________________________________________________ ________________

I'm very aware of the "estimated" GDP of NOKOR, and I'm very aware also that Angus Madisson is not that LAME to derive with such estimated GDP figure..the study must have been backed up with stats and probability principles or whatever mathematics principles they could apply to ferret such estimate.

i'm not implying that NOKOR is not into something here, the way they tolerate several UN treaties like continuing the nuclear program is already a statement that they are into something destructive..but we have to weigh things down also as to what capability this country can achieve given its economic status, though this status was only estimated, but still potentially close to the actual figures.

they may have a dozen stockpiles of nuclear warheads but Kim Jung II is not that DUMB to go berserk and to just declare all-out war with the US [which basically has a thousand stockpiles of bombs and nuclear warheads] and the world.

[nolex]

here are some updates.... i smell trouble on this...

China, Russia resist North Korea sanctions

UNITED NATIONS - China and Russia resisted an attempt in theÂ* Â* Â* Â* U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions against North Korea for its missile launches Wednesday, saying only diplomacy could halt the isolated regime's nuclear and rocket development programs.

Japan, backed by the U.S. and Britain, circulated a resolution that would ban any country from transferring funds, material and technology that could be used in North Korea's missile and weapons of mass destruction programs.

China, the North's closest ally, and Russia, which has been trying to re-establish Soviet-era ties with Pyongyang, countered that they favor a weaker council statement without any threat of sanctions. Both countries hold veto power in the council, making sanctions unlikely.

North Korea, which has proclaimed itself a nuclear weapons state, has said sanctions would amount to a declaration of war. China and Russia are clearly concerned that a U.N. demand for such measures would only make the current situation worse and delay a return to six-party talks. China and Russia are part of the talks along with North andÂ* Â* Â* Â* South Korea, the United States and Japan.

In a possible sign that Moscow's and Beijing's position may carry the day,Â* Â* Â* Â* President Bush addressed the issue in a subdued manner without the harsh warnings that he had issued as recently as last week when he said that a missile launch would be unacceptable.

Bush said Wednesday that the failure of North Korea's long-range missile test does not lessen the need to push the communist regime to give up its nuclear weapons program.

"One thing we have learned is that the rocket didn't stay up for very long," Bush said about the Taepodong-2 missile that failed 42 seconds after liftoff Tuesday. "It tumbled into the sea."

"It doesn't diminish my desire to solve this problem," he said in Washington.

The failure of the Taepodong-2 missile — the object of intense international attention for more than a month — suggested a catastrophic failure of the rocket's first, or booster, stage. A working version of the intercontinental missile could potentially reach the United States with a light payload.

The North also fired six shorter-range missiles on Wednesday, arguing it had the right to such launches. All of them apparently fell harmlessly into the Sea of Japan.

Tokyo responded swiftly by barring North Korean officials from traveling to Japan, and banned one of its trading boats from entering Japanese waters for six months.

In South Korea, separated from the North by the world's most heavily armed border, officials said Wednesday's tests would affect inter-Korean initiatives such as the dispatch of food and fertilizer from the South to the North, but stressed that diplomacy was the best way to solve the crisis.

Both Japan and South Korea are within range of North Korean missiles.

The Security Council held an emergency session at Japan's request, and council experts met late Wednesday for about 1 1/2 hours to discuss the draft resolution. One participant said experts would meet again Thursday morning.

France's U.N. Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, the current council president, said after the council meeting that all 15 members "expressed deep concern" at the missile tests.

"Thirteen delegations were in favor of a resolution, and two delegations thought a presidential statement would be more appropriate," he said, confirming that these were China and Russia.

"It's too early to say at this moment what the outcome will be except to say that there is an agreement in the council to act swiftly and firmly," de La Sabliere said.

The draft resolution proposed by Japan and obtained by The Associated Press would condemn North Korea's ballistic missile launches and deplore its role as "the world's leading proliferator of ballistic missiles and related technology." It would demand that Pyongyang immediately halt "the development, testing, deployment and proliferation of ballistic missiles and reconfirm its moratorium on missile launching."

If approved, the council would strongly urge North Korea to return immediately to the six-party talks "without precondition" and stop all nuclear-related activities with the aim of completely dismantling its nuclear programs, including both plutonium reprocessing and uranium enrichment.

China's U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya and Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin both noted that after North Korea shocked Japan in August 1998 by blasting a Taepodong-1 missile over its territory and into the Pacific Ocean, the Security Council reacted merely with a press statement.

Japan's U.N. Ambassador Kenzo Oshima called Wednesday's launches "far more serious."

North Korea's "possible combination of nuclear weapons with missile development and testing" is unacceptable and requires "quick, strong action" by the Security Council, he said.

Flanked by the U.S. and British ambassadors, Oshima said possible sanctions against North Korea "may be discussed, but that, of course, is up to the council."

China's Wang expressed regret and concern at the missile tests, but left far more ambiguity over how much council action would be acceptable to Beijing.

He stressed the importance of constructive actions to maintain peace in north Asia.

Asked what the council could do to promote peace, Wang replied: "I think that in 1998 similar circumstances that the Security Council issued some sort of comments or statements. We'll see."

Russia's Churkin said that while "a strong and clear message is needed to North Korea," the goal should be a resumption of six-party talks, which have been suspended since last September, and a diplomatic solution.

"We believe that at this point a strong and clear message is necessary from the Security Council to North Korea," he said, backing a presidential statement which becomes part of the council's record unlike a press statement.

Russia is "troubled" by the impact of the launches on region security and the Korean nuclear issue, he said. "And of course we cannot overlook the fact that according to some information which is being verified some missile fragments fell not far from the Russian territory."

Churkin cautioned, however, "against whipping up the emotions too much" and urged all everyone to be "clear-headed" and keep in mind the need for talks to achieve a diplomatic solution.

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said the council must send a "strong and unanimous signal" that North Korea's missile test-launch was unacceptable.

The initial council discussion "was very interesting because no member defended what the North Koreans have done," he said. "I think there is support for sending a clear signal to Pyongyang."

North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Pak Gil Yon refused to talk to reporters Wednesday when he arrived at his country's U.N. mission, shielding himself with a large black umbrella against the rain and the media barrage....



whew!! looks like a war might going to happen... waaahhh!! naunsa na ni woi...

[reibac]

No war could happen when nokor is aware that nations around them are reacting about this test, specially Japan. Nokor made a missile launch a few years ago and the missile passed over the Japan peninsula. This does'nt make sense!!! Kim Jong II is insane, they look so happy!

[angel mikael]

Calling US ang Japan, bombahi ang Nokor!!!

Ayaw twan kay basin ang Pilipinas maoy ma-igo kung mag-gira ang sa NOKOR.

Ambot kung naay batay interceptor para sa mga missiles.

Kung magtest fire nasad ang NOKOR og long range missile and magmalfunction basin diri padong sa Pinas. Ka kuyaw ana.

Pwede magboxing nalang si Pres. Bush og ang Head sa NOKOR para maresolve ila conflicts.