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North Korea Nuke Test Aftermath Spreads

The non-radioactive fallout from North Korea?s claim of a nuclear weapons test on Monday spread around the world, with Pyongyang?s ally China even declaring that the ?appropriate? actions need to be taken in response to what Beijing termed North Korea?s ?brazen? test of a weapon whose yield international experts are divided about. A statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that the People?s Republic was ?resolutely opposed? to North Korea?s nuclear test. The United Nations Security Council met Monday to condemn Pyongyang, and Tuesday was set to discuss possibly severe sanctions.

There was little concern over the chances for a military response by the United States, though the dictatorial regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il upped the ante by declaring that the country ?could? launch a nuclear-tipped missile if the United States did not agree to direct talks with the reclusive government. The United States have already stated that they would conduct one-on-one talks with Pyongyang only within the framework of Six-Party talks which the North left last year in protest of U.S. actions against the Stalinists? money-laundering activities.

North Korea had threatened to test launch a series of missiles earlier in the year if Washington did not agree to direct talks, several short-range missiles were fired on July 4, along with one Taepodong-2 long-range missile that foreign observers and analysts declared malfunctioned not long after lift-off. The WMD test conducted by North Korea on Monday was threatened by Pyongyang in the week preceding its occurrence. It is not believed that Kim Jong-Il?s military possesses the means to equip missiles with nuclear warheads, though how this threat will factor into punishment discussions remains to be seen.