Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire: US says another NKorean nuclear test would be provocative

Thursday, October 21, 2010

US says another NKorean nuclear test would be provocative

Another atomic weapons test by North Korea would be provocative, a State Department spokesman said, adding he could not confirm reports that Pyongyang was preparing for such a test. "I'm aware of the reports. They obviously go into intelligence matters so I can't really go into any detail commenting on them," spokesman Mark Toner said when asked to comment on a report in South Korea's newspaper Chosun Ilbo.
"But this hasn't changed our position vis-a-vis North Korea. We said all along that they need to adhere to their commitments and they also need to refrain from provocative actions," Toner said.
"Another nuclear test would certainly fall into the rubric of provocative actions," he added.
He said "no" when asked whether he had evidence to support the details of the news report.
According to Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's biggest-selling newspaper, US satellites detected movements of personnel and vehicles at the site where the the North carried out its first two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
Chosun quoted an unidentified government source as also saying that the North also appears to be restoring tunnels demolished during the first two tests.
"However, it is unlikely (the North will) carry it out soon. It is expected to take another three months (to complete preparations for a third test)," the source said.
But a spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said there was no evidence of any such preparations.