Did North Korea Conduct Secret Nuclear Tests? 159
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by
Soulskill
from the poking-around-inside-atoms dept.
from the poking-around-inside-atoms dept.
gbrumfiel writes "In May of 2010, North Korea made the bizarre claim that it had achieved nuclear fusion. Many, many commentators (including faithful Slashdot readers) mocked the dear leader for his outlandish boast, but could there have been a kernel of truth in the claim? Apparently some odd radioactivity was spotted by detectors surrounding the North just days after the announcement. Now, a new analysis by a Swedish scientist suggests that the radiation may have leaked from covert experiments into boosting fission warheads. The evidence is tentative at best, and many are skeptical, but it does seem that something odd was up on the Korean peninsula that spring."
Re:Easy fix. (Score:5, Insightful)
1) Nuke the North
2) Blame it on fusion experimentation
3) ???
4) PROFIT!
Though I expect you are joking, I do expect the US and ROK have been exploring these options for years -- considering if it would work and how China would react. The North Korean leaders are clearly the most despicable exploiters of the human race the world has seen in generations, but China likes to have them as a buffer. Possibly also fearing the economy and military of a unified Korea.
Not a bizarre claim. (Score:5, Insightful)
Nuclear fusion is easy. Pretty much anyone can build a Farnsworth Fusor [wikipedia.org] and there are all sorts of other ways to achieve fusion. Achieving net positive fusion isn't even that difficult for a country that already has fission-based atomic bombs. The problem is achieving net positive fusion that is stable, sustainable, and controlled.
The question asked by the story title: "did North Korea conduct secret nuclear tests?" has a simple answer. Yes. Of course they conducted secret nuclear tests. It's already public knowledge that they have a nuclear program. They also, like every nuclear power, keep the details hush hush. Therefore, secret nuclear tests.
Re:what in north korea isn't 'odd'? (Score:5, Insightful)
Also, specifically in China, but to an extent the rest of East Asia, there's value in your Zodiac sign, which is determined by your year of birth. So there
So yeah, ignore other cultures and it's really freaking weird and unreasonable.
Re:Fusion....right (Score:5, Insightful)
just saying that particular fact of no Night-time luminosity could be just as well a sign of a well adjusted society with happy members with regular sleep schedules and lack of wasted lamp post lights, etc, as a lot of Night-time luminosity could be taken as a sign of factory mills with rotating shifts, slave wages, where the beds are never cold, and a disruption of family and social life: a society on the way to spiritual death.
It's also a sign of a country that has bakeries that can have fresh bread ready for breakfast in the morning to feed the citizens, newspapers being printed and delivered to inform the citizens, as well as deliveries of fresh produce and manufactured goods that get consumed at a high rate by a citizenry with regular healthy diets and disposable income. But you're right; since North Korea has no night-time luminosity, I guess it is safe to assume that North Korea has neither of these things as well. Tell me, are they still making all of you people in Pyongyang mourn over "Dear Leader"'s death?
Re:Easy fix. (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't know if those reasons are accurate. These are the issues I see for China with a unified Korea.
1. Think back on Germany's unification. A unified Korea will become even more of an economic powerhouse. With unification South Korea would now have a massive untapped resource in the north. For example, why outsource manufacturing as they've been doing when they now can make stuff domestically for cheap. Also imagine the massive amount of investment the north is going to enjoy. Koreans have little need for Chinese goods, relatively speaking. I'm not sure with the NK mindset will be, but South Koreans are very nationalist.
2) An economically prosperous country will now exist on China's border. Refugees are not the problem. If anything, Chinese will probably be flocking across the border for opportunities. Sure, China's economy is burgeoning, but that growth is not uniform and it certainly not the case in that corner of China.
3) A strong American ally now shares a border with China. This one is obvious.
Everything thing else is a non-issue. I'm pretty sure North Korea gives China constant headaches, but they'll never acknowledge that. I don't really see what strategic benefit they offer China beyond providing a buffer hundreds of miles wide. They definitely provide no economic value, although I'm sure what little gets into NK is Chinese made. That likely wont continue with a unified nation.