YONHAP NEWS

N. Korea not yet developed nuke delivery system: expert

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's detonation of two nuclear devices in recent years does not guarantee its status as a nuclear weapons state due to lack of an adequate delivery system, a U.S. expert said Sunday.

   "Two experimental nuclear test explosions don't make a nuclear arsenal," said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, in a statement on the Website of the FAS.

   Kristensen added, "We are not aware of credible information on how North Korea has weaponized its nuclear weapons capability, much less where those weapons are stored. We also take note that a recent U.S. Air Force intelligence report did not list any of North Korea's ballistic missiles as nuclear-capable."

   He was rebuffing the report by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency late last month that the FAS has confirmed North Korea as a nuclear weapons state, citing a report by the non-profit organization -- founded by the scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bombs -- with the aim of providing policy recommendations.

   "[A nuclear arsenal] requires deliverable nuclear weapons, which we haven't seen any signs of yet. Perhaps the next statement could explain what capability North Korea actually has to deliver nuclear weapons."

   The FAS report issued on Nov. 25 listed North Korea as among nine nuclear weapons state, along with the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France, Israel, Pakistan and India.

   International efforts towards North Korea's nuclear dismantlement hit a snag recently as Pyongyang has boycotted the six-nation nuclear talks, citing international sanctions for its nuclear blast and missile tests earlier this year.

   Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, arrived in Seoul Sunday on his way to Pyongyang two days later to revive the multilateral nuclear talks, which also involves South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.

   In early October when he met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il expressed his willingness to return to the six-party talks pending the outcome of bilateral discussions with the U.S.

   U.S. officials have said they will not get into the substance of the nuclear talks in the upcoming bilateral session, despite the North's assertion that that should be the venue for resolving the standoff over its nuclear weapons programs.

   North Korea conducted its second nuclear test in May after one in 2006 and U.S. and South Korean intelligence authorities believe North Korea has several nuclear weapons.

   The World Nuclear Stockpile Report written by Hans Kristensen of the FAS and Robert Norris of the Natural Resources Defense Council in September, said North Korea appears to have 10 nuclear weapons, although it added, "There is no publicly available evidence that North Korea has operationalized its nuclear weapons capability."

   The North Korean warheads are part of 23,375 nuclear weapons being held by nine nuclear weapons states, according to the report.

   Russia tops the list with 13,000, followed by the U.S. with 9,400.

   France came in third with 300 nuclear warheads, China fourth with 240 and Britain fifth with 185. Israel has 80 nuclear weapons, Pakistan between 70 to 90 and India 60 to 80.

   hdh@yna.co.kr
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