Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

North Korea May Test Missile Capable of Hitting U.S., CIA Says
Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- North Korea may be ready to test-fire a long-range ballistic missile capable of reaching parts of the U.S. with a ``nuclear-weapon-sized payload,'' the Central Intelligence Agency said in a report to Congress.

The communist country has repeatedly threatened to test its nuclear weapons and is suspected of trying to obtain material for its uranium-enrichment program, the CIA said in a semiannual report containing declassified material on the acquisition of technology related to weapons of mass destruction. The report, spanning July 1 through Dec. 31 of 2003, identifies a range of countries and proliferation concerns, involving China and Iran.

North Korea has been under international pressure to scrap its nuclear program. Talks between China, North Korea and the U.S. in 2003 paved the way for six-nation talks to resolve its nuclear ambitions. Still, three rounds of six-way talks involving South Korea, Japan and Russia have yielded little.

``In late April 2003 during trilateral talks in Beijing, North Korea privately threatened to `transfer' or `demonstrate' its nuclear weapons,'' according to the report posted on the CIA's Web site. ``It repeated these threats in August 2003 at the six-party talks.''

The report also said North Korea may have ``unknown size'' of chemical weapons capable of being employed ``in a variety of delivery means'' and ``some'' biological arms available for use.

Nuclear Weapons

North Korea continues to export ``significant'' related equipment, component materials and technical expertise to the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa with ``high priority'' because it's one of the country's major sources of hard currency, the report said.

In December 2003, North Korea proposed to ``freeze'' its nuclear activities, including not exporting nuclear weapons, in exchange for rewards.

In addressing China, the report said Beijing has improved its nonproliferation posture. Still, the proliferation behavior of Chinese companies ``remains of great concern,'' it said.

The CIA report said Iran continues to ``vigorously pursue indigenous programs to produce nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.'' Iran also has worked to improve delivery systems by seeking materials, training, and equipment and know-how from entities in Russia, China, North Korea and Europe, it said.



To contact the reporter for this story:
Sau Chan in Hong Kong [e-mail]

To contact the editor responsible for the story:
Bruce Grant in Hong Kong [e-mail]
Last Updated: November 24, 2004 01:56 EST



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