North Korean Nuclear Test – A threat of war

North Korea conducted fresh nuclear test on the 25th of May 2009. This may be seen as a threat of war. It was reported that the test was as big as the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. For years, North Korea has been against the signing of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. Immense international pressure has not been able to convince North Korea to stop using nuclear energy in producing war heads. In October 2006, North Korea had tested a meager nuclear war head underground near the Sea of Japan. North Korea had clearly warned some time back, that it would launch missiles carrying nuclear war heads if it was pressurized and if more sanctions are put against it. After North Korea withdrew itself from the NPT (Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty), the Six Party Talks were initiated in 2003. The Six Party Talks were initiated to find a peaceful resolution to the security threat emerging from North Korea’s withdrawal from the NPT. The members of The Six Party Talks are US of America, Russia, China, South Korea, North Korea and Japan. The talks did make some progress and North Korea agreed to dismantle its nuclear research centers in exchange of fuel support and cutting of sanctions by US. The talks later failed when North Korea was condemned by the UN Security Council following a failed satellite launch by it. North Korea pulled out of the Six Party Talks threatening that it will continue the development of Nuclear weapons for its own safety and for peace in the region. This was however seen as a lame excuse. This development was in April 2009. North Korea proved on the 25th of May 2009 that it was serious about the threat, and launched a nuclear test. This test was an underground test conducted 230 miles north of Pyongyang and around 130 miles from the closet Chinese town.

Repercussions of the test were heard from the international community. The whole world condemned the nuclear test and sees it as an alarm of war. Japan being the only nuclear bombed nation, is seriously taking the tests as a threat of war and have started preparing for the worst. South Korea, which has not been a friendly neighbor of North Korea, is also gearing up for worst situation. The point to think about is, how will North Korea be now treated, now that they already have a nuclear bomb? North Korea’s reason of producing and possessing a nuclear bomb is self-defense. It says that it will disarm itself of nuclear weapons only if the Big Five disarm and confirm that they will not misuse their warheads. But the concern here is whether the world can live with a nuclear threat like North Korea and just pray that they do not fire it somewhere? North Korea has been not acting responsibly as per the international community and is behaving more like a spoilt child. Is there a way to harness this alleged spoilt child in a subtle manner or is it war that we are looking at. China has to play a major role in mentoring North Korea, being closest confidant. Japan and South Korea might become impatient. US could loose its calm and react physically. So are we leading to the “God Forbid”, The Third Big one? If North Korea thinks of launching a nuclear bomb, who will be at the receiving end? North Korea says that the nuclear bomb was produced to assure its people of security and peace and to reassure them that they are in safe hands of freedom. But what will happen to the same people if things misfire?

Linus Orakles
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