While all eyes have been on the Iranian election results, North Korea’s saber rattling is serious enough to warrant concern. North Korea says flatly it will “weaponize” its plutonium.
More than a third of the fuel rods already spent have been reprocessed. The rest of the plutonium will be used for weapons, North Korea vowed on Saturday. It
threatens war if any of its ships are stopped as part of new U.N. sanctions.
This is the first North Korea's Foreign Ministry has acknowledged the country has a uranium enrichment program. It has underlined that it won’t give up its nuclear weapons program and will use uranium and plutonium to make atomic bombs.
This threat comes a day after the U.N. Security Council approved new sanctions to keep North Korea from financing to continue its nuclear program. The Council authorized search of the ships to check for contraband materials that might be used to build bombs..
Korea blames Washington for nuclear tensions, declaring it was "compelled to go nuclear in the face of the U.S. hostile policy and its nuclear threats." This is in spite of assurances from Washington that the United States has no intention of attacking North Korea and that it is only concerned North Korea is trying to sell nuclear technology to other countries.
North Korea’s warnings raised concerns of a military confrontation as additional threats were made,
"An attempted blockade of any kind by the U.S. and its followers will be regarded as an act of war and met with a decisive military response," the North said.
Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, expressed her concerns on Friday before North Korea’s announcement that the North might reaction to the U.N. resolution with "further provocation."
"There's reason to believe they may respond in an irresponsible fashion to this," she told reporters.
All of this comes at a time when Barack Obama hosts South Korean leader Lee Myung Bak Lee Myung Bak for their first meeting. Experts maintain Obama’s task will be to reduce the war of words so war doesn’t break out. South Korea’s President is meeting with Obama less than a week after the U.N. Security Council’s decision to
begin inspecting North Korean air and sea cargo as a part of new sanctions.
At the same time as the two nations of South Korea and the United States discuss international affairs, specifically issues regarding North Korea, both are dealing with serious economic problems as well. Lee Myung Bak made
a radio address yesterday before leaving for the United States and the visit with Obama. In the address he talks about the economic concerns and assures the citizens Korea is looking for solutions to the crisis.
In the meantime, beyond the domestic front, the world watches while North Korea continues to threaten its neighbor in hopes that it doesn’t bring down the neighborhood.
The U.N. Security Council resolution condemning North Korea's expansion of its nuclear capability was made unanimously.
