US No evidence of imminent NKorea nuclear test
Source: Reuters
(Writes through with Japan, South Korea comments, ABC report) By David Morgan WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The United States has no evidence to suggest North Korea is about to test a nuclear weapon, U.S. officials said on Thursday in response to a report the communist state was preparing to conduct an atomic test. ABC News reported that Pyongyang appeared to have made preparations for a new nuclear test to follow its first test on Oct. 9 -- a move that drew swift world condemnation and punitive U.N. sanctions. "There's no reason to believe that a test is imminent," a U.S. intelligence official said. Asked if there were signs of preparation for such a test, he said: "There is not evidence to indicate that." Another U.S. official said he had no reason to believe North Korea was making preparations for a test and that there was considerable uncertainty in the U.S. government about whether Pyongyang had any intent to conduct another one. "There is a great deal of uncertainty about intention," said the official, who asked not to be named. ABC news quoted a senior U.S. defense official as saying: "We think they've put everything in place to conduct a test without any notice or warning." The report by the U.S. network said intelligence was inconclusive, but preparations were similar to steps taken by North Korea before its test on Oct. 9. Many outside analysts said that first test was not fully successful. In Seoul, a South Korean government official familiar with the North's nuclear program said: "We are not aware of any imminent signs of a possible nuclear test." The official added that signs of preparations were "no new development" because "they are always ready to conduct a test." The two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China failed in their latest round of talks in Beijing last month to make any progress in suspending the North's nuclear programs in exchange for aid and better ties with Washington and Tokyo. North Korea was rebuffed at those talks in its insistence that it be treated as a nuclear power. South Korea's Defense Ministry said last week that North Korea has probably extracted more than 50 kg (110 lb) of plutonium since 1994, with more than 30 kg obtained since 2003 while it was engaged in the six-country negotiations. U.S. intelligence estimates of the North's nuclear arsenal have ranged from one or two weapons to 10 or more. Pyongyang's plutonium stockpile is believed to be enough to make 13 bombs, according to some estimates. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Paul Eckert in Washington, George Nishiyama in Tokyo and Jack Kim in Seoul)
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