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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21979127

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US warns North Korea of increased isolation if threats escalate further

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/29/us-condemns-north-korea-threats

What kind of attack could North Korea launch?

Read: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/29/what-kind-attack-could-north-korea-launch/?cmpid=NL_FNTopHeadlines#ixzz2P2oUjCam

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What kind of attack could North Korea launch?

Read: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/29/what-kind-attack-could-north-korea-launch/?cmpid=NL_FNTopHeadlines#ixzz2P2oUjCam

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Russia urges US and North Korea to show restraint

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/30/russia-us-north-korea-restraint

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North Korea leaders meet amid nuclear tension
U.S., South Korea keeping close watch on assembly after bellicose talk from north

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/04/01/north-korea-south-us-threats.html

Found under Jack Van Impe's Prophecy Bible's YOUR FUTURE: AN A-Z INDEX TO PROPHECY section's SIGNS; are the following two similar sounding scriptures:

Matthew 24:6 NKJV ~ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Mark 13:7 NKJV ~ But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.


These two scriptures kept springing to the back of my mind, Valerie, as I read your above thread. That is why I decided to post them here, under your thread.

What do you think Jesus meant, when He said them? Was He referring to our imminent Rapture (just B4 He comes to take us off of this planet)/or to the Trib. Period?

Maranatha!
Tammy

Tammy,

I believe Jesus was referring to the signs of the time before His second coming to Earth, not necessarily the Rapture. Yes we have seen wars in parts of the earth and are hearing rumors of wars, and it seems like more on the horizon, just ahead. However, Jesus second coming to Earth, won't be until the battle of Armageddon. The Rapture will proceed it, as the Lord comes to the first Heaven, which is the sky as we know it, to catch up His Bride in the air. For the Bride is not appointed to wrath, only those whom are left behind will suffer God's wrath. Hopefully very soon now!

Maranatha!

Valerie

WASHINGTON – U.S. officials quietly are expressing concern that North Korea could use its “space launch vehicle” to explode a high-altitude nuclear device over the United States, creating an electromagnetic pulse that would destroy major portions of the U.S. electrical grid system as well as the nation’s critical infrastructures.

The concern is so great that U.S. officials who watch North Korea closely are continually monitoring the status of the North Korean “space launch vehicle,” whose status could suggest a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States.

Read more athttp://www.wnd.com/2013/04/u-s-on-alert-for-overhead-nuclear-blast/#3Hk9KZmPzjPUQ27O.99

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U.S. on alert for nuclear blast overhead

'Space launch vehicle' could put kill electric grid, devastate nation
Published: 2 days ago

F. Michael Maloof, staff writer for WND and G2Bulletin, is a former senior security policy analyst in the office of the secretary of defense.


EMP32

WASHINGTON – U.S. officials quietly are expressing concern that North Korea could use its “space launch vehicle” to explode a high-altitude nuclear device over the United States, creating an electromagnetic pulse that would destroy major portions of the U.S. electrical grid system as well as the nation’s critical infrastructures.

The concern is so great that U.S. officials who watch North Korea closely are continually monitoring the status of the North Korean “space launch vehicle,” whose status could suggest a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States.

They are aware of the three-stage missile North Korea launched last December that also orbited a “package,” which experts say could be a test to orbit a nuclear weapon that then would be deorbited on command anywhere over the U.S. and exploded at a high altitude, creating an EMP effect.

This concern is in addition to North Korea’s latest threat to strike targets in Hawaii and the continental U.S., as well as possible attacks against U.S. bases in South Korea and Japan.

The 28-year-old North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, has signed an order for North Korea’s strategic rocket forces to be on standby to fire at U.S. targets.

The signing was against a photo backdrop following an emergency meeting of his senior military leaders showing large maps that were labeled “U.S. mainland strike plan, specifically at Hawaii, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.”

One WND reader who traced the targeting to Texas said that it really was aimed at the Dallas/Fort Worth area.



THIS is how an EMP event could bring the world’s remaining superpower to its knees. Read it in “A Nation Forsaken”.

The latest North Korean threats occurred after the U.S. sent two B-2 stealth bombers to strike targets with inert bombs during joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, which Kim considered a major provocation.

“He finally signed the plan on technical preparations of strategic rockets, ordering them to be on standby to fire so that they may strike any time the U.S. mainland, its military bases in the operational theaters in the Pacific, including Hawaii and Guam, and those in South Korea,” according to a statement by the North Korean news agency, KCNA.

The statement added that the B-2 flights showed Washington’s “hostile” intent, and the “reckless” act had gone “beyond the phase of threat and blackmail.”

In response, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel condemned North Korea’s actions which to date have included dissolving the 1953 armistice between North and South Korea, severing the military hotline with South Korea and putting its artillery forces on high alert and threatening, once again, nuclear strikes against the U.S.

In recent weeks, North Korea also had released three videos showing a nuclear strike on the U.S.

“We’ve made very clear that we have the capability and willingness to protect our interests and our allies in the region,” according to deputy White House press secretary Josh Earnest. He said that the U.S. military exercises with South Korea should offer “pretty clear evidence” that the U.S. can defend its interests and those of its allies in the region.

Sources say that sending the B-2s was in response to the recent North Korean threats to send a message – a message which Russia and China called a “provocative act.”

Russia and China have asked the U.S. to continue talking to North Korea and not to take military action against North Korea.

In response to North Korea’s initial bellicose rhetoric, Hagel ordered the deployment of additional Aegis anti-missile systems for the U.S. West Coast. They originally were destined for Europe. And a second anti-ballistic missile radar is to be installed in Japan.

However, the Aegis anti-missile systems won’t be operational until 2017, although there are some systems already deployed along the West Coast.

North Korea’s continuing threats of a pre-emptive nuclear strike against U.S. targets suggest to U.S. officials that its military is confident in the capability of its missiles and that its recent nuclear testing for miniaturization of a warhead to be placed on a missile similarly was successful.

These officials are looking at the prospect that upon launch of the missile and a potential nuclear payload, it would take a polar path, clearly out of range of U.S. Aegis anti-missile systems.

The fact that U.S.military officials are expressing quiet but increasing concern that North Korea could launch an EMP attack has raised alarms over the preservation of the U.S. national grid and such critical infrastructures as communications, energy, food and water delivery and space systems.

This concern recently has been reinforced by a little-publicized study by the U.S. Army War College that said a nuclear detonation at altitude above a U.S. city could wipe out the electrical grid for hundreds, possibly thousands of miles around.

The impact would be catastrophic.

“Preparing for months without a commercial source of clean water (city water pressure is often dependent on electric pumping to storage towers) and stoppage of sewage treatment facilities will require net methods of survival particularly in populated areas,” the military study said.

The May 2011 study, titled, “In the Dark: Military Planning for a Catastrophic Critical Infrastructure Event,” concluded that there is “very little” in the way of backup capability to the electric grid upon which the communications infrastructure is vitally dependent.

Analysts say that it is apparent that Kim has ignored any advice from its closest friend, China, to stop any further missile or nuclear testing suggesting, as one official described Kim, as a “loose cannon.”

Kim also has been defiant of any United Nations Security Council resolutions similarly condemning the recent missile and nuclear tests. China had joined in approving those resolutions.

“The time has come to settle accounts with the U.S.,” the KCNA agency declared.

“The Obama administration is either clueless or deceiving the American people with false assurances that North Korea’s recent threats to destroy the United States are merely ‘empty rhetoric’ because they allegedly ‘lack the capability,’” one former U.S. official told WND.

Some regional analysts, however, believe that Kim is seeking to leverage the U.S. for further concessions while attempting to win favor with his own military to show how tough he can be.

These analysts say that until now Kim has not had the support from the military that his father, Kim Jong-Il, had.

His war-like tone may be indicative of attempts to solidify military support within his country.

At the moment, experts are looking at efforts for preparations at known long-range missile launch sites.

Those signs may be appearing.

“North Korea’s launch sites to fire off mid- and long-range missiles have recently shown increased movement of vehicles and forces,” according to one South Korean official who described the activity at the sites as “brisk.”

“We are closely watching possibilities of missile launches,” the official said.

In this connection, officials have seen several vehicles moving to the Tongchang-ri missile site on the western coast, in what appeared to them to be preparations for testing its long-range missiles.

Some observers, however, believe the latest threats of a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the U.S. remain for now just domestic posturing and efforts to establish military credentials on Kim’s part to show that he is more forceful than his father.

continues...
http://www.wnd.com/2013/04/u-s-on-alert-for-overhead-nuclear-blast/print/

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Use Your Discernment

Valerie, there was something said in this post, "Russia and China have asked the U.S. to continue talking to North Korea and not to take military action against North Korea."
~~~~~reminds me of what someone is saying to someone else in another hotspot

Beloved body of Christ, keep praying and keep looking for His return
Those who have doubts or have not asked Jesus to be your Savior and forgive you for rebellion and unbelief against God yet, Today, Now is the time to ask. Jesus loves you, He really does. Ask Jesus for forgiveness and to save you today. The Holy Spirit and the bride of Christ say come. Whosoever wants eternal life in heaven with Jesus, come to Him.

Amen Regina a big Amen, Now is the time to accept Jesus if you haven't done it. It's very late in the game now. God only knows EXACTLY how much time is left. Yet we are not in the dark, we know it's near even at the door.

Maranatha!

Valerie

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South Korea 'deploys warships to track North missiles'

South Korea has deployed two warships with missile-defence systems, reports say, a day after the North apparently moved a missile to its east coast. Military officials told South Korean media the two warships would be deployed on the east and west coasts. Seoul has played down the North's missile move, saying it may be for a test rather than a hostile act.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22037844

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North Korea's threats of war make Chinese neighbours nervous

Every time North Korea threatens a nuclear strike, Ge Weihan receives a frantic call from his mother. Although the 34-year-old filmmaker moved to Beijing years ago, his parents still live in a small Chinese village less than 25 miles (40km) from the insular nation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/05/north-korea-threats-chinese-nervous

I heard on the news report today, that for whatever reason, North Korea will not hit until after April 10th. Now I didn't hear clearly but they are guessing it will happen on April 15, seeing that it's the leaders Birthday, or the Birthday of his late Father, I not sure which one but it's one of them.

Just heard the latest 11pm news, Kim warned the US to evacuate their embassy/people by Wednesday April 10th, because after that day, he can not assure the safety of anyone. Apparently the U.S. has no intention of doing so they said, as they don't take orders from Kim.

Let's make each day count, and continue to bring Jesus to the world, while there is still time.

God is still in control, and we are not appointed to wrath, therefore, we'll
be going home very shortly. Great joyful hope for us, as we will soon depart with Jesus. Very deep sadness for those whom will be left behind, to suffer, be killed, and especially sad for those whom will receive the Mark of the Beast, and spend eternity in Hell.

Not long now, dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ, our Redeemer draws nigh, and our departure is at hand! Maranatha! Valerie

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THEY ARE GEARING UP FOR SOMETHING BIG--His exact words were, 'They are shipping some serious s*** over there' Apr 5, 2013
I just spoke with a close associate who has been working for the last three years at Barksdale AFB, on various construction projects. Likely, you will not remember that I wrote you about 6 weeks ago to ask for prayers for people in that area. This... read more

http://www.stevequayle.com/index.php?s=33&d=339

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South Koreans leave joint factory park as North warns embassies on safety


Published April 06, 2013

FoxNews.com

PAJU, South Korea – More South Koreans on Saturday began to leave North Korea and the factory park where they work, four days after Pyongyang closed the border to people and goods.

Twenty-one South Koreans returned from the Kaesong industrial park Saturday morning, and about 100 of the roughly 600 still there were expected to return home by day's end, the Unification Ministry in Seoul said.

One manager, Han Nam-il, interviewed as he left, said he saw North Korean security officials "fully armed" before he crossed the border.

The industrial park is the last remnant of North-South cooperation. Pyongyang's blocking of traffic there is among many provocative moves it has made recently in anger over U.N. sanctions for its Feb. 12 nuclear test and current U.S.-South Korean military drills.

The communist dictatorship deployed mid-range missile launchers to its east coast and reportedly warned foreign embassies Friday it cannot guarantee the safety of diplomats after April 10.

Reuters reported early Friday that North Korea deployed two of its intermediate range missiles on mobile launchers and hid them on the east coast of the country, citing a South Korean news agency.




Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/04/06/more-south-koreans-leave-north-korean-factory-park-under-entry-ban-by-pyongyang/#ixzz2Pf1hk2V4

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http://video.foxnews.com/v/2280404232001/north-korea-new-threat-war-not-question-if-but-when?intcmp=related

Now that N. Korea has declared war on both the south and the U.S., there is an open door to blame any attack on them. Called a "False flag" attack.
It is highly likely that the paranoid leaders of NK are purposely being cranked up ahead of some scheme.

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http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/07/17640754-graham-warns-of-north-korean-regime-overplaying-its-hand?lite

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The US has delayed an intercontinental ballistic missile test scheduled for next week, defence officials say. The Minuteman 3 test was put off over concerns it could be misinterpreted by North Korea, amid fears of a conflict. It could be postponed until May, in what correspondents say will be portrayed by Pyongyang as a victory

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22056387

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http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5895dd0e-9f98-11e2-968b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2Pps6ih3E

Valerie, could you please post this article in its entirety? It seems that one has to have a paid subscription to be allowed to read it. What does it say?

Kathy,

The reason I posted the link is, that it would not let me post the article unless I paid for it. I was able to read it, and now the link says otherwise. Anyways, we are never suppose to copy any copy rite material in it's entirety, therefore, I usually post a paragraph of two, and post a link.

Here's more news below..on North Korea...Basically, the same as the article you have to pay to read.

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Most U.S. troops 'would die' in N. Korean onslaught

WASHINGTON – If North Korea were to launch an attack, U.S. intelligence analysts tell WND the barrage of hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds and missiles would destroy not only South Korea’s capital, Seoul, but also most of the U.S. troops stationed primarily around the capital and near the Demilitarized Zone separating the two countries.

“The 28,500 guys on the border are a speed bump and a trigger for war,” a U.S. intelligence officer who is closely monitoring North Korean activities told WND in an exclusive interview. “They probably would die.”

He explained, “Every U.S. and South Korean (location) already has a pre-programmed target reference point by the North Koreans.”

The initial assessment by this and other U.S. intelligence analysts give a grim picture of the initial onslaught of an attack initiated by North Korea.


Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/04/u-s-troops-would-die-in-n-korean-onslaught/#7VB76HDfrzwY0OrV.99

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North Korea appears to be making preparations for a fourth underground nuclear weapons test at a site in Punggye-ri, the same site where it conducted its third test, a South Korean government source told the JoongAng Ilbo.

The South Korean government’s national security team head Kim Jang-soo also said that the North could launch a medium-range missile around Wednesday.

“We have detected increased activity of labor forces and vehicles at the southern tunnel of the test site in Punggye-ri, where the regime has worked on maintenance for facilities since its third nuclear test in February,” a high-ranking South Korean government official said. “The activities appear to be similar to those before the third test, so we are closely monitoring the site.

“We were also tipped off that Pyongyang would soon carry out an additional nuclear test,” the official said. “But we are analyzing if it is indeed preparation for an additional test or it is just to pressure Seoul and Washington.”

http://www.trunews.com/activity-at-norths-nuke-test-site/

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February expressed confidence in the regime’s cyber warfare capabilities against South Korea. A South Korean official on Sunday quoted Kim as saying at the time, “If we have strong information technology and brave warriors like the Reconnaissance General Bureau, we will be able to break any sanctions and have no problem building a strong and prosperous country.”

The official said the North has reason to be confident in its 12,000 highly skilled hackers, who are able to avoid detection by erasing their traces.

Talented children in sciences in North Korea get intensive computer training at Kumsong Middle School in Pyongyang. They are then raised as “cyber warriors” for three to five years at either Mirim College under the General Staff Department or Moranbong College under the Reconnaissance Bureau.

http://www.trunews.com/n-korea-confident-in-cyber-warfare-capabilities/

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North Korea: Kim Jong-Un’s 30,000 elite troops could pour through secret underground tunnels into South Korea

Through a cold mist, South Korean troops scan their frontier for signs of an attack by warmongering North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Behind razor wire and machine gun nests, nervous soldiers man artillery positions ready to blitz the dictator’s forces dug in less than a mile away.

But while their eyes peer into the mist, the onslaught may yet begin where they cannot see… 100 feet below their boots.

Because military chiefs fear Kim’s troops have dug a series of secret underground tunnels reaching behind the South’s defensive lines.

And in one nightmare scenario they believe up to 30,000 elite commandos are ready to pour through them.

Yesterday as the South braced itself for war between the countries for the first time since 1953 amid Kim’s increasing sabre-rattling, a military source told us: “We are at high alert and have seen little movement. But the North has already tried four times since the armistice to launch a tunnel invasion.”

http://www.trunews.com/north-korea-kim-jong-uns-30000-elite-troops-could-pour-through-secret-underground-tunnels-into-south-korea/

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7 April 2013 BREAKING NEWS North Korea Nuclear Threats 2 USA Chuck Hagel Preparing for war

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This Is Official: Instructions from the PM of Japan on North Korea – To Shoot Down Missile “Even If It Is Just A Test”.



From the Prime Minister’s office.

Link
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/96_abe/decisions/2013/0404siji_e.html

1. Take all possible measures to gather and analyze information including forthcoming moves by North Korea

2. Promptly provide accurate information to the public

3. Fully prepare for contingencies with a sense of urgency and make every possible effort to ensure the safety and security of the public

Further directive: interception of North Korean missile.

Link
http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1209788/japan-issues-order-shoot-down-any-north-korea-missile

Japan has ordered its armed forces to shoot down any North Korean missile headed towards its territory, a defence ministry spokesman said on Monday as speculation grows Pyongyang may fire one this week.

Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera issued the order, which will see Aegis destroyers equipped with sea-based interceptor missiles deployed in the Sea of Japan, the defence official said.

The official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said the order, which was issued on Sunday, was routine and was being kept low-key.
Read more athttp://investmentwatchblog.com/this-is-official-instructions-from-the-pm-of-japan-on-north-korea-to-shoot-down-missile-even-if-it-is-just-a-test/#rYvkC2PZdkvmbGCk.99

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There are signs that North Korea is getting ready for what would be its
fourth nuclear weapon test*


Justin McCurry in Seoul
guardian.co.uk, Monday 8 April 2013 08.33 BST


North Korea could be preparing to conduct a fourth nuclear test,
following signs of activity at the country's main testing site, South
Korea's unification minister, Ryoo Kihl-jae, said on Monday.


Ryoo told a meeting with MPs at the national assembly that Seoul had
acquired evidence of increased movement of vehicles and personnel at
Punggye-ri, the Yonhap news agency said.


The site on North Korea's north-east coast is where the country's three
previous controlled nuclear detonations -- in 2006, 2009 and on 12
February this year -- took place.


Ryoo's comments came after a South Korean newspaper quoted an unnamed
government source as saying that workers appeared to be preparing for
another test at Punggye-ri.


The JoongAng Ilbo quoted the source as saying that South Korean
intelligence had detected "increased activity of labour forces and
vehicles" at the site.


"We are closely monitoring the ongoing situation, which is very similar
to the situation ahead of the third nuclear test. We are trying to
figure out whether it is a genuine preparation for a nuclear test or
just a ploy to heap more pressure on us and the US," it said.


The prospect of a nuclear test is certain to add to tensions on the
peninsula amid reports that the regime in Pyongyang could be planning to
launch a medium-range missile from its east coat, possibly as early as
Wednesday.

Any missile launch is expected to be a test rather than a targeted
strike and could take place in the runup to the 101st anniversary of the
birth of North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung, on 15 April. Another
significant date is the anniversary of the foundation of the Korean
people's army 10 days later.


Last week, North Korea warned foreign embassies in Pyongyang it could
not guarantee their safety from the threat of conflict after Wednesday
this week and advised them to consider pulling their staff out of the
capital.


The North has unleashed a barrage of threats since the UN imposed
sanctions in response to February's nuclear test. It has also been
angered by military exercises involving South Korea and the US that are
due to run to the end of the month.


The regime has threatened to launch nuclear strikes against the US
mainland and its bases in the Pacific, declared itself in a "state of
war" with South Korea and cut its military hotline with Seoul.


Last week, it banned South Korean workers from entering the Kaesong
industrial complex -- a jointly run enterprise located just north of the
heavily armed border dividing the peninsula and an important source of
hard currency for Pyongyang. The ban remained in place on Monday.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/08/north-korean-nuclear-test-preparations

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Related articles



'North Korea is calculating not crazy – we must not underestimate it,' expert warns



North Korea: China warns it will not allow war on its doorstep as even IRAN calls for calm



North Korea: 'It is not a matter of whether or not we will have a war but when'



North Korea 'could make Chernobyl look like a fairytale,' Putin warns



North Korea: Japan deploys rockets in Tokyo and readies to shoot down enemy missiles



http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/390452/North-Korea-to-launch-missile-TOMORROW-after-warning-foreigners-to-evacuate-South

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WND-TV

Hagel: N. Korea nears 'dangerous line'

Intel suggests Pyongyang could be planning multiple launches
Published: 9 hours ago

(CNN) – North Korea is “skating very close to a dangerous line” after weeks of saber-rattling, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned Wednesday as northeast Asia watched for an expected missile test.

“Their actions and their words have not helped defuse a combustible situation,” Hagel told reporters at the Pentagon. He said the United States and its allies want to see North Korean rhetoric “ratcheted down,” but if that doesn’t happen, “our country is fully prepared to deal with any contingency.”

“We have every capacity to deal with any action North Korea will take to protect this country and the interests of this country and our allies,” Hagel said.

Read the full story

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/04/hagel-n-korea-nears-dangerous-line/#tIytSfhli9ZgJ4C0.99

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Cheney to GOP leaders: ‘We’re in deep doo doo’ on North Korea


(CNN) – Republican leaders in Congress received a dire warning on Tuesday from former Vice President Dick Cheney on the ongoing crisis in North Korea.

“We’re in deep doo doo,” Cheney told lawmakers, according to a GOP leadership aide.


Northeast Asia on edge ahead of possible North Korean missile test

Cheney added the current North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, is unpredictable and doesn't share the United States worldview.

One lawmaker present at the session, Rep. Steve Southerland of Florida, said Cheney wore a cowboy hat and "looked really good, spoke really clearly, lucidly.”

“It was nice to see him doing well,” Southerland said, noting the last time Cheney was on Capitol Hill he "didn’t look good – very frail, but in this meeting he looked great."

U.S, North Korean officials met secretly in March

Cheney, 72, underwent a successful heart transplant in 2012 after a series of heart attacks over many years.

Southerland said Cheney spent about 10 minutes in the GOP leadership meeting Tuesday, and didn't give any specific policy recommendations or critiques of how the Obama administration is handling the situation in North Korea.

Cheney talked about the North Korean leader, Southerland said, and shared some of his history dealing with Saddam Hussein, noting "you never know what they're thinking."

DMZ: Tensions high at knife-edge of Korean conflict


http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/09/cheney-to-gop-leaders-were-in-deep-doo-doo-on-north-korea/

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Is a North Korea missile test imminent? Northeast Asia on edge ahead of
possible North Korean missile test

By Jethro Mullen, CNN
updated 7:37 AM EDT, Wed April 10, 2013


Is a North Korea missile test imminent?


STORY HIGHLIGHTS


Some Chinese tour groups cancel visits to North Korea
U.S. radars and satellites are trained on an area of the North's coast
The U.S. believes test could occur without standard warning to
aviation, shipping
Recent North Korean threats contrast with some of its other state
news reports


Are you from South or North Korea? Send us your experiences.


(CNN) -- Countries in northeast Asia remained on edge Wednesday amid
warnings from U.S. and South Korean officials that North Korea could
carry out a missile test at any point.


Japan has deployed missile defense systems around Tokyo, some Chinese
tour groups have canceled visits to North Korea, and U.S. radars and
satellites are trained on an area of the Korean east coast where Kim
Jong Un's regime is believed to have prepared mobile ballistic missiles
for a possible test launch.


After weeks of belligerent threats and provocative gestures from
Pyongyang, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is fragile.


Adm. Samuel J. Locklear, the top U.S. commander in the Pacific, said
Tuesday that he couldn't recall a time of greater tension in the region
since the end of the Korean War in the 1950s.


Before the two controversial long-range rocket launches that North Korea
carried out last year, the reclusive regime gave ample warning to the
world. But it is keeping everyone guessing about what it might do this
time around.


"According to intelligence obtained by our side and the U.S., the
possibility of a missile launch by North Korea is very high," South
Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said at a parliamentary hearing
Wednesday, according to the semiofficial South Korean news agency Yonhap.


He said the missile in question is a Musudan, an untested weapon that he
said has a range as far as 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles). That would
mean it could reach as far as Guam, a Western Pacific territory that is
home to U.S. naval and air bases and where the United States recently
said it was placing missile defense systems.


After any launch, U.S. satellites and radars in the region would be able
to calculate the trajectory of missiles within minutes and quickly
conclude whether they are on a test path headed for open ocean or
potentially headed for land areas such as Japan.


The United States and Japan would then have to decide whether to try to
shoot the missiles down, U.S. officials say.


A launch without warning?


Yun said he was basing his assessment on South Korean and U.S.
intelligence. On Tuesday, a U.S. official said that the American
government believes a test launch could happen at any time and without
North Korea issuing a standard notice to commercial aviation and
maritime shipping that would warn planes and vessels to stay away from
the missile's path.


The official, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the
information, cautioned that most of the information comes from satellite
imagery, so it's impossible to reach a definitive conclusion because the
United States cannot gather information on the ground.


He said the launch could be "imminent" but also cautioned that the
United States "simply doesn't know." Based on what the United States has
seen, the belief is that the missiles have received their liquid fuel
and are ready for launch.

Read more:

https://groups.google.com/group/bible-prophecy-news/browse_thread/thread/e94d6518c54ef936?hl=en-GB#

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North Korea's war of words escalates -- Timeline of a crisis

CNN) -- North Korea has raised political tensions on the peninsula with a barrage of bombastic comments directed at its enemies South Korea and the United States.

Even by North Korean standards, the series of threats during the past six weeks by enigmatic young leader Kim Jong Un have been incredibly provocative, making the situation worrisome for analysts.

Here's a look at Kim's escalating rhetoric and his country's actions since he came to power after his father's death in 2011:

Read more:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/10/world/asia/north-korea-threats-timeline/index.html

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Psalm 91

King James Version (KJV)


91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+91&version=KJV




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Psalm 91

New American Standard Bible (NASB)


Security of the One Who Trusts in the Lord.


91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
3 For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.


5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
9 For you have made the Lord, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
10 No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.


11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.
12 They will bear you up in their hands,
That you do not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you will trample down.


14 “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
15 “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 “With a long life I will satisfy him
And let him see My salvation.”



http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+91&version=NASB

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Missile spotted in 'launch position', United States and South Korean armed forces placed at 'vital alert' Watchcon 2

AFP
April 12, 2013 4:21AM


• US, South Korea declare "Watchcon 2" - the highest level of alert
• 'Multiple launches' expected as more missiles spotted
• See our interactive timeline at the bottom of this story

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/united-states-and-south-korean-armed-forces-placed-at-vital-alert-watchcon-2/story-fnd134gw-1226617936354

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G-8 to N. Korea: Refrain from 'further provocative acts'

North Korea threat

North Korea, which has missiles capable of hitting U.S. territories in the Pacific and possibly mainland USA, has ordered its rocket and long-range artillery units to be combat ready after joint military drills by U.S. and South Korean forces. A look at the Koreas and the military presence and threat:



PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Korea delivered a fresh round of rhetoric Thursday with claims it had "powerful striking means" on standby for a launch, while Seoul and Washington speculated that the country is preparing to test a medium-range missile during upcoming national celebrations.

During a press conference at the G-8 summit, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said that if North Korea conducts another missile launch or nuclear test, the G-8 ministers have "committed ourselves" to take further "significant measures" — such as asking for more sanctions at the United Nations Security Council.

In a communique following a meeting in London, the G-8 foreign ministers said Pyongyang's "current aggressive rhetoric" will only isolate North Korea. They urged North Korea to refrain from "further provocative acts" and engage in credible talks on abandoning all existing nuclear programs.

"G-8 foreign ministers condemned in the strongest possible terms the continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," the communique stated.

North Korea's decisions to launch a long-range rocket in December and conduct an underground nuclear test in February "seriously undermine regional stability, jeopardize the prospects for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and threaten international peace and security," the communique said.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/04/11/north-korea-missile-google.comtest/2073229/

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N. Korean missile threats worry some on Guam

North Korea, which has missiles capable of hitting U.S. territories in
the Pacific and possibly mainland USA, has ordered its rocket and
long-range artillery units to be combat ready after joint military
drills by U.S. and South Korean forces. A look at the Koreas and the
military presence and threat:

Brett M. Kelman, USA TODAY 4:39 p.m. EDT April 12, 2013

Story Highlights

Guam is about 2,100 miles southeast of North Korea's capital, Pyongyang
Its population is a little more than 180,000, about the same size
and area as Huntsville, Ala.
The Pacific island is the farthest west of U.S. territories

Becky Weingartner was playing with her kids, ages 2 and 5, when the wail
of an air raid siren pierced her living room, sending them racing
outside in a panic.

The television had been on too loud, so she hadn't heard a megaphone
announce minutes before that the Air Force was testing the sirens.

"I ran outside, just praying that after the siren goes off that they
would say, 'This was just a test,' and I could breathe easy again," said
Weingartner, reached by phone in Yigo, Guam. "It's nerve-wracking to
think that they would even still have to do that. And if you don't hear
that it is 'just a test' before the sirens go off, the sound just chafes
you to the core."

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https://groups.google.com/group/bible-prophecy-news/browse_thread/thread/6e381bfadb2cc125?hl=en-GB#

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North Korea already won
By Frida Ghitis, Special to CNN
April 13, 2013 -- Updated 1529 GMT (2329 HKT)

(CNN) -- World leaders are moving carefully and anxiously, trying to prevent a disaster in the Korean Peninsula. This increasingly unpredictable round of saber-rattling is far from over, but so far the winner is the North Korean regime and the losers are the brutally oppressed North Korean people, joined by much of the rest of the world.

While we watch the drama from far away, it's worth noting just how far North Korean weapons programs -- not just the weapons themselves -- can reach.

U.S. intelligence officials differ on their estimates of the range and accuracy of North Korean missiles, nuclear-tipped or not. But the country's nuclear and missile technology has already found its way to the Middle East.

North Korea helped Syria develop a nuclear reactor. It has sold missile technology and weapons to anyone willing to pay, and it has developed close cooperation with Iran.If the crisis ended right now -- with every piece of military hardware back to where it stood a few months ago and everyone taking a vow of silence on the matter so that we get no more threats and no more demands -- the confrontation would have already sent clear and damaging messages across the globe, encouraging tyrants and regimes seeking or considering the idea of developing nuclear weapons.

North Korea's message seems to be: If you have nuclear capabilities, it doesn't matter how outrageously you behave; it doesn't matter how horribly you mistreat your people; it doesn't matter how flimsy your economy is.

When you have a nuclear arsenal, countries that could topple your regime with a tiny fraction of their power suddenly become afraid of making you angry.

This is a pernicious reality with tragic and hazardous consequences.

Read more:

http://www.edition.cnn.com/2013/04/13/opinion/ghitis-north-korea/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

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In Video and Pictures: North Korea 'will target Japan first': Chilling new warning from rogue communist state as White House insists it does NOT have nuclear powers

White House says state does not have capability to launch nuclear missile
However, defence officials have 'moderate confidence' that North Korea could fire ballistic missile to launch nuclear weapons
U.S. also warns North Korea is 'skating very close to a dangerous line'
Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in South Korea Friday, flying in from London G8 Summit
Threat level to 'vital' as communist state's missiles are 'primed and ready'
Pariah state warns Japan Tokyo will be targeted first
Battery of missiles could be fired at South Korea, Japan and U.S.
A former North Korean officer says division among the military is rife
Some foreigners evacuate South Korea after warning from North Korea

By Simon Tomlinson, Sam Webb, Tim Shipman and Beth Stebner

PUBLISHED: 03:29 GMT, 12 April 2013 | UPDATED: 09:43 GMT, 13 April 2013

North Korea has threatened to target Japan first and attack its capital, after the pariah state's leader threatened to start war and launch nuclear missiles.

Tokyo has orders to destroy any missile heading toward Japan, Korean Central News Agency reported.
The country has deployed PAC-3 missile interceptor units around its capital in response to North Korea's threats to target Japan.

View Video and Pictures and Read More At: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2307828/North-Korea-nuclear-threat-US-vows-protect-world-John-Kerry-arrives-Seoul.html

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China breaking UN sanctions to support North Korea

As John Kerry arrives in Beijing, China continues to flout United Nations sanctions in order to prop up Kim Jong-un's regime, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/9991907/China-breaking-UN-sanctions-to-support-North-Korea.html

Apparently Kim Jong-un is not missing as he attended the celebration on the 15th of April. Paul Begley got his story wrong; he was away out of sight for 2 weeks, explanation below, but he's well and alive and not missing!

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North Korea's Kim Jong-un celebrates missile-free holiday (+video)


Officials in South Korea, the United States, and Japan say that intelligence indicates North Korea, which tested a nuclear device in February, is ready to test a medium-range missile.

By Steven Borowiec, Correspondent / April 15, 2013

People watch TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday. Seemingly oblivious to international tensions over a possible North Korean missile launch, Pyongyang residents spilled into the streets Monday to celebrate a major national holiday, the birthday of their first leader, Kim Il Sung.

Ahn Young-joon/AP



Despite ongoing tension on the Korean peninsula and speculation that North Korea would use the occasion to flex its military muscle, North Korea celebrated its biggest holiday in relative calm.

In honor of the 101st birthday of North Korea’s founding leader, the current leader Kim Jong-un made his first public appearance in nearly two weeks to pay his respects to his late grandfather at the Kumsusan mausoleum in Pyongyang. The embalmed bodies of his late father Kim Jong-il and grandfather Kim Il-sung are both kept at the mausoleum.

Analysts say Kim Jong-un has been out of the public eye to bolster perceptions of military leadership. Since the US and South Korea began their annual war exercises, the North’s military has been operating under wartime conditions, having declared the Korean War armistice that effectively ended the war 60 years ago, void. Joint military exercises between the US and South Korea are slated to continue until the end of this month, at which point, many expect the tense situation to cool.


http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2013/0415/North-Korea-s-Kim-Jong-un-celebrates-missile-free-holiday-video

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New N. Korea Threats Issued Following Celebration

On Monday, the citizens of North Korea celebrated the 101st birthday of Kim Il-Sung, the first leader of the country and the grandfather of its current leader, Kim Jong-un. Today, North Korea has issued more threats, continuing the rhetoric that has been sparking tensions on the Korean peninsula for weeks.

According to a report from Reuters, the new threats are related to South Korean protests that took place during the North’s celebration. Portraits of North Korean leaders were reportedly burned during the protests, and North Korea is now demanding an apology from South Korea. According to the report, North Korea has threatened “sledge-hammer blows” if it does not receive such an apology.

North Korea has been releasing inflammatory statements for weeks, criticizing joint U.S/South Korean military exercises near the border between the Koreas. The rhetoric has included the statements that North Korea now considers itself in a state of war and that it has rejected the Korean Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War in 1953. The country has also cut off all communication with South Korea, including hotlines meant to stave off war. The U.S. has responded by deploying a greater military presence to the region, including F-22 stealth fighter jets.

Read more:

http://www.webpronews.com/new-n-korea-threats-issued-following-celebration-2013-04

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18 April 2013 Last updated at 05:15 ET


North Korea has said it is ready to talk if UN sanctions against it are withdrawn and the US and South Korea put an end to joint military drills.

The conditions for dialogue were outlined in a statement from the North's National Defence Commission and carried on official news agency KCNA.

But South Korea's Foreign Ministry brushed off the North's demands, calling them "incomprehensible".

Tensions have been high since North Korea's third nuclear test in February.

Read more:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22195453

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North Korea outlines exacting terms for talks with U.S., South Korea

CNN) -- North Korea on Thursday set out demanding conditions for any talks with Washington and Seoul, calling for the withdrawal of U.N. sanctions against it and a permanent end to joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises.

The United States and South Korea "should immediately stop all their provocative acts against the DPRK and apologize for all of them," the North's National Defense Commission said in a statement carried by state-run media, using the shortened version of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The commission listed a number of "practical measures" it said the United States and South Korea should take if they want to avoid "sledge-hammer retaliatory blows of the army and people" of North Korea and if "they truly stand for dialogue and negotiations."

But the nature of the demands, such as the lifting of the U.N. sanctions imposed after the North's latest nuclear test, appeared to offer almost no chance of negotiations between the two sides amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.


Read More: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/18/world/asia/koreas-tensions/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

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North Korea states emphatically that it will not give up nuclear arms

*North Korea states emphatically that it will not give up nuclear arms* SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea reiterated on Saturday that it would not give up its nuclear weapons, rejecting a U.S. condition for talks although it said it was willing to discuss disarmament. North Korea, in a sign of a possible end to weeks of heightened... more »

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N Korea 'moves two more missile launchers'

Date April 21, 2013 - 3:33PM

Seoul: North Korea has moved two more missile launchers to its east coast, where preparations are apparently under way for a missile test as tensions simmer on the peninsula, reports say.

Expectations had been high that Pyongyang would carry out a test to coincide with celebrations marking the birth of North Korea's late founding leader Kim Il-sung on April 15 but it did not materialise.


April 25 could be another possible date for a missile launch, the report said, quoting military officials in Seoul. That is the founding anniversary of the North's military.

The North Korean military last week moved two launchers believed to be for Scud missiles to the northeast province of South Hamgyong, Yonhap news agency said, citing a senior Seoul


Read more:http://www.smh.com.au/world/n-korea-moves-two-more-missile-launchers-20130421-2i80z.html#ixzz2RANpijbk

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The Associated Press




Published: April 23, 2013



SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea is vowing to bolster its nuclear program in response to a U.S. State Department report accusing Pyongyang of human rights abuses.

Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday called the annual U.S. report proof of a hostile policy by Washington that's aimed at toppling North Korea's leadership.

The State Department last week cited defectors' reports of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, arbitrary detention, arrests of political prisoners and torture.

Last month, Pyongyang also condemned a U.N. resolution approving a formal probe into suspected widespread rights violations.

Pyongyang has eased the near-daily war threats that characterized its public statements for weeks. But animosity lingers.

Pyongyang has rejected offers of dialogue from Washington and Seoul. It says U.S.-South Korean military drills set to end next week are meant as invasion preparation.


http://www.stripes.com/news/special-reports/crisis-in-korea/north-korea-vows-to-bolster-nuclear-arms-over-us-report-1.217787

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24 Apr, 13:17

*North Korea: 'Authenticated' Radioactive gases 'consistent with'
nuclear test detected*


Global tracking stations record isotopes thought to have been released
by underground detonation at Punggye-ri in February


Martyn Williams for North Korea Tech
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 24 April 2013 16.12 BST


A nuclear monitoring station in Japan has recorded what could be the
first radioactive noble gases from February's nuclear test in North Korea.


The station in Takasaki, about 1,000km from North Korea's Punggye-ri
nuclear test site, is operated by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Treaty Organization, which made the announcement yesterday.


Radioactive isotopes of the noble gas xenon -- xenon-131m and xenon-133
-- were detected, something the organisation called "rather unusual."


The measurements, almost two months after Pyongyang said it had carried
out the underground detonation, gave no indication of whether plutonium
or highly enriched uranium was used, the organisation said.


The time that had passed before the so-called noble gases were picked up
made it "very difficult" to distinguish between the two fissile
materials, said spokeswoman Annika Thunborg.


Noble gases are one of four things the organisation looks out for in its
nuclear monitoring process, because the gases can be released by either
slowly seeping through rock and sediment from underground to the surface
after a nuclear test or come from activity at a test site.


The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization said the ratio of
the detected xenon isotopes is consistent with a nuclear fission event
occurring more than 50 days before the detection, matching the timeframe
for the North Korean nuclear test. Further, atmospheric modeling
indicates the isotopes could be carried from Punggye-ri to Takasaki.


But the organisation isn't quite ready yet to say the detection is
definitely linked to the February test in North Korea. "We are in the
process of eliminating other possible sources that could explain the
observations; the radionuclides could have come from a nuclear reactor
or other nuclear activity under certain specific conditions, but so far
we do not have information on such a release," Mika Nikkinen said in a
statement.


The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization's monitoring
system was one of the first to indicat that North Korea had conducted
its nuclear test. The organisation maintains almost 100 stations
monitoring the tell-tale seismic activity that occurs with a nuclear
test. On 12 February those stations recorded the event at 2:57:51 UTC
(11:57:51 local time). The test was measured at magnitude 4.9 and
located at latitude 41.313 degrees north and longitude 129.101 degrees east.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/24/north-korea-nuclear-radiation

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SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Saturday a Korean-American tourist, who has been held in prison by the reclusive state since late last year, will face trial for "committing crimes" against the North, a move that could further stoke tensions with the United States.

Kenneth Bae, 44, was in a group of five tourists who visited the northeastern city of Rajin on a five-day trip last November and has been held by police since then.

KCNA, the North's official news agency, said Bae entered the North on November 3.

"In the process of investigation he admitted that he committed crimes aimed to topple the DPRK with hostility toward it," the KCNA report said, using the North's official title of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"His crimes were proved by evidence," it said, adding he would soon be taken to the Supreme Court "to face judgment".

Former U.N. ambassador Bill Richardson delivered a letter regarding Bae to officials during a trip to North Korea in January, although he was unable to meet Bae.

Richardson has made numerous trips to North Korea that have included efforts to free detained Americans.

Tensions between North Korea and South Korea and Seoul's ally the United States have spiraled in recent weeks since the United Nations tightened sanctions after the North's third nuclear weapon test in February.

http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-says-american-tourist-holding-face-trial-035954456.html

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PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Korea said Saturday it will soon put a detained American on trial for allegedly trying to overthrow the government, further complicating already fraught relations between Pyongyang and Washington.

The indictment of Kenneth Bae comes in the middle of a lull after weeks of war threats and other provocative acts by North Korea against the U.S. and South Korea. It has expressed rage over U.N. sanctions over a February nuclear test and ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills, though analysts say Pyongyang's motive is to get its Korean War foes to negotiate on its own terms.

"For North Korea, Bae is a bargaining chip in dealing with the U.S. The North will use him in a way that helps bring the U.S. to talks when the mood slowly turns toward dialogue," said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean Studies at Seoul's Dongguk University.

Read More:

http://news.yahoo.com/nkorea-says-indict-american-citizen-031457146.html

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WASHINGTON | Thu May 2, 2013 8:44pm EDT


(Reuters) - North Korea's continuing development of nuclear technology
and long-range ballistic missiles will move it closer to its stated goal
of being able to hit the United States with an atomic weapon, a new
Pentagon report to Congress said on Thursday.


The report, the first version of an annual Pentagon assessment required
by law, said Pyongyang's Taepodong-2 missile, with continued
development, might ultimately be able to reach parts of the United
States carrying a nuclear payload if configured as an intercontinental
ballistic missile.


North Korea launched a multi-stage rocket that delivered a satellite
into orbit in December, an advance that "contributes heavily" to the
country's development of a long-range ballistic missile capability, the
report said.


It is also continuing to refine its atomic weapons capability, including
with a nuclear detonation in February, and is capable of conducting
"additional nuclear tests at any time," the report said.


"These advances in ballistic-missile delivery systems, coupled with
developments in nuclear technology ... are in line with North Korea's
stated objective of being able to strike the U.S. homeland," the report
said.


"North Korea will move closer to this goal, as well as increase the
threat it poses to U.S. forces and allies in the region, if it continues
testing and devoting scarce regime resources to these programs," it said.


The document characterized North Korea as one of the biggest U.S.
security challenges in the region because of its effort to develop
nuclear arms and missiles, its record of selling weapons technology to
other countries and its willingness to "undertake provocative and
destabilizing behavior."


The report comes at a sensitive time in the region, with friction
between Washington and Pyongyang only now beginning to ease following
two months of increasingly shrill rhetoric that seemed to edge the
Korean peninsula close to war.


Tensions between the two countries rose sharply after North Korea put
the satellite into space in late December and conducted the nuclear test
in February. The test triggered new U.N. sanctions, which led to a
barrage of threats from Pyongyang.

Read more:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/03/us-korea-north-usa-report-idUSBRE94200Z20130503

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N Korea 'fires three short-range missiles'

North Korea has fired three short-range missiles from its east coast, South Korea's defence ministry said.

Two missiles were fired on Saturday morning and one in the afternoon, the ministry said in a statement.

Officials at the ministry said they were "monitoring the situation and remain on alert".

The launches come at a time of stalemate between the two neighbours following weeks of high tension earlier this year.

Read more:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22580133

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http://www.jpost.com/International/SKorea-deploys-Israeli-missile-on-border-with-North-313605