[imText1]Amidst criticism of whether or not North Korea’s nuclear experiment was actually successful, a claim was made questioning the possibility of North Korea performing the nuclear experiment without inserting nuclear materials.
Dr. Shin Sung Tack a researcher at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies, U.S. appeared on a MBC radio broadcast on the 12th and revealed “It has been over 3 days since North Korea conducted the nuclear experiment. By now, it has been more than enough time to detect radioactivity.”
He said “There are 3 basic measures to conclude that a nuclear experiment has taken place. First, a seismic wave must be detected. Second, a hydro acoustic low frequency must be observed around the same time. Both the two observations have been made.”
Further, he said “Finally, radioactivity must be detected. However radioactivity has not been detected. This means that the nuclear experiment was an explosion made artificially undeground.”
In regards to the little changes to the topography that normally occurs after a nuclear experiment, he said “For there to be no changes to the topography, means that it was either a very small explosion or that a small explosion descended 1km further into the ground.”
He added “However when the explosion that was announced is converted to TNT, it equates to 550 kt which is a very significant amount. It does not make sense for there to be no change after an explosion of that magnitude in a mountainous area.”
In regards to the claims that the nuclear experiment had failed he said “Generally speaking, we never say that a nuclear experiment failed. Irrespective of what kind of experiment it is, a nuke experiment whether big or small, a success or failure, all this will help in further achieving your data.”
He said “It is not correct to say that a nuclear experiment failed. Rather what needs to be clarified is whether or not the nuclear experiment was real. We are going along the basis that a nuclear experiment was conducted with no nuclear materials inserted.”
“In order to make a nuke there are four key requirements of a nuke experiment. First, a completely made nuke must be exploded. In this case, leaks of radioactivity will occur. Second, sometimes only small amounts of nuclear materials are inserted in order to observe chain reactions, even in this case leaks of radioactivity occur” he said.
Further, he explained “Also, there are times when high explosive powder is experimented in the outskirts to see the operative organization of high explosive equipment or anti-shock explosive equipment without nuclear materials. Finally, to conduct a high explosive equipment, the experiment can be performed underground. However the in the 3rd and 4th cases, nuclear materials do not spill out.”
Research Shin added “As for North Korea, there is a high chance for the third and fourth case.”
When questioned whether North Korea did proclaim a phony nuclear experiment, especially since North Korea would receive a severe blow if the experiments were not real, he said “The recent nuclear experiment was not a hoax but it did not contain any nuclear materials. Next time if nuclear materials are inserted then the experiments will be more successful than the previous ones.”
