Recently in North Korea Category

The question is whether Beijing will fall for it:

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il expressed regret about his country's nuclear test to a Chinese delegation and said Pyongyang would return to international nuclear talks if Washington backs off a campaign to financially isolate the country, a South Korean newspaper reported Friday.

"If the U.S. makes a concession to some degree, we will also make a concession to some degree, whether it be bilateral talks or six-party talks," Kim was quoted as telling a Chinese envoy, the mass-circulation Chosun Ilbo reported, citing a diplomatic source in China.

Kim told the Chinese delegation that "he is sorry about the nuclear test," the newspaper reported.

Standard fare for NK - "if only those mean Americans will get off my back, we can talk" is a familiar tune.

I hope China shows some resolve this time. The sanctions should be lifted after he de-nukes, not before. Otherwise he'll just keep playing games.

Via AP/Yahoo:

UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Saturday to impose punishing sanctions on North Korea for its claimed nuclear test, declaring that its action posed "a clear threat to international peace and security."

North Korea immediately rejected the resolution, and its U.N. ambassador walked out of the council chamber after accusing its members of a "gangster-like" action which neglects the nuclear threat posed by the United States. Ambassador Pak Gil Yon said North Korea wants talks but warned that it will consider increased U.S. pressure a declaration of war.

Captain Ed has more.

Update: Allahpundit has video!

After days of speculation on whether the NK test was really a nuke or not, some official Uncle Sam inconclusiveness:

WASHINGTON - Results from an initial air sampling after North Korea's announced nuclear test showed no evidence of radioactive particles that would be expected from a successful nuclear detonation, a U.S. government intelligence official said Friday.

The test results do not necessarily mean the North Korean blast was not a nuclear explosion, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the sampling results.

President Bush says it matters little:

"The United States is working to confirm North Korea's claim, but this claim itself constitutes a threat to international peace and stability," Bush said.

From the US perspective, President Bush is right. But definitive intel about the test might make a world of difference to others in the 6-party coalition, particularly Japan and South Korea. I hope we don't rush to the table with the other nations involved until we find out for sure.

By the way, would someone in Washington please do something about the non-stop leaks?

Kim Jung Il makes good on his threat:

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea said Monday it had exploded a nuclear weapon for the first time, an underground test that defied international warnings but was hailed by the communist nation as a "great leap forward" for its people.

Good roundups at Stop The ACLU and Hot Air.

Also here. Shhh - MK is sleeping...

Let's see if China changes course. Somehow I doubt it. Japan's response will likely be the one to watch.

A lot of hay being made of the small size of the blast suggesting a less-than-successful test, combined with the failures of NK's long-range missiles. Small points, if you ask me. Surely NK is working to improve their designs.

Added: From the appeasement crowd, a stunning level of ignorance:

All of this, of course, comes after years of the Bush administration alternately mismanaging and ignoring the North Korea situation. President Bush claimed he would not tolerate a nuclear North Korea, but he has done worse than that: he ignored the threat of North Korea as it expanded its nuclear arsenal, and was unable to offer the appropriate carrots and sticks to prevent this hugely destabilizing event. Shameful.

So I guess it's our fault for not cowering to a madman and giving him whatever he wanted, eh? Never mind that this scenario was predetermined back in the 90's, and please lets forget that there was a multilateral effort in dealing with NK. If AJ in DC's views had dominated over history, we'd be having this discussion in a different language. Sick.

Here's the only good idea coming from the left blogosphere this morning (H/T Allahpundit, linked above). I'll be working hard all day to convince TB that the world is ending any day now to test the DUer's suggestions. I will not be providing a full report, however. If blogging tapers off again, you'll know why.

That's what they're reporting on Fox News. Apparently the track of the long-range Taepodong-2 missile fired the other day was studied by Japan, and the conclusion is that had it not failed it could have been headed for the Hawaiian islands.

So far haven't seen it on the web - I'll put up a link as soon as I have it.

This is significant, though, since it may be viewed as more provocative than previously thought.

Here it is - but it's a mixed bag, as there's also some indication that the missile was out of control from the time it launched. If so, it's hard to believe that any trajectory analysis could be accurate:

The long-range missile, the Taepodong-2, which some fear is capable of hitting the western United States, failed almost immediately after launch, said a senior U.S. official with direct knowledge of the intelligence on the testing.

It spun out of control seconds after it was launched and the North Koreans never had operational control of the missile, the official said. It failed so quickly, the official added, that the United States was never able to ascertain in what direction it was headed.

But Japan's Sankei newspaper, citing U.S. and Japanese sources, reported Friday that the missile was aimed at an area of the ocean close to Hawaii.

North Korea apparently has a few more missiles ready to launch:

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea has three or four more missiles on launch pads and ready for firing, major South Korean newspapers reported Thursday.

The missiles are either short- or medium-range, reported Chosun Ilbo, one of South Korea's largest dailies. It cited an unidentified senior South Korean official.

Another major paper, JoongAng Ilbo, carried a similar report.

The North has also barred people from sailing into some areas off the coast until July 11 in a possible sign of preparations for additional launches, Chosun Ilbo said.

You think this will turn China's head? Or the Russians?

Not holding my breath.

Via CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- North Korea launched a long-range Taepodong-2 missile early Wednesday in an apparently unsuccessful test that failed in flight, a senior State Department official said.

North Korea also tested at least two smaller missiles, U.S. sources told CNN.

Both missiles were launched from a site other than the one intelligence officials have watched for weeks ahead of the long-range missile test, a senior State Department official said.

AP reports the smaller missiles were scuds.

The State Department is also speculating about the timing of the launches:

The senior State Department official said the launches were timed to coincide with the launch of the space shuttle Discovery from Florida, calling it "a provocative act designed to get attention."

Just my own speculating - the shuttle launch may have been siezing an opportunity - launching on a major US holiday may have been the original goal.

Expect further isolation of North Korea. Kim Jong Il has not done himself a favor today.

Update - confusion over how many and what kind of missiles - AP now says four missiles, none were long-range.

Update 2 - AP now agrees with CNN, saying "at least 3 missiles" and that one was the long-range Taepodong-2.

Update 3: Fox News has the label: "Two scuds and a dud".

Update 4 (6:50 PM EST): Fox News: 6 missiles total

N. Korea is engaging in very serious provocation - it will be very difficult for even China to ignore.

Update 5: CNN settles for 5. I give up. Time to take the kids to watch some friendlier fireworks.

Update 6: Fox News: back up to 6 again. Sigh.

Update 7 (6:30 AM, 05 July): 7?