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China-Japan-Koreas
U.S. closely monitoring five tunnels in northern region of North Korea
2006-10-05
From East Asia Intel, subscription.
North Korea has constructed as many as five underground tunnels in the northern part of the country. U.S. intelligence agencies believe they are part of the regimeÂ’s covert nuclear testing program. The tunnels are located near Mount Mumyeong in Chagang Province and include cables and vehicles that U.S. officials believe are signs of preparation for a nuclear test.

North Korea is unpredictable and could conduct an underground nuclear test with little or no warning, one official said. Test preparations are being watched closely.
Unpredictable, you say? Those officials know everything!
In South Korea, the National Intelligence Service confirmed that it had received information from defectors about a possible test. "We have received such information from the North Korean defectors, but we do not have any evidence to support the suspicions," the National Intelligence Service said in an e-mail released to reporters.
"But we are sending another trainload of free cement north, just in case."
The five tunnels also may be linked to North KoreaÂ’s missile development program.
Or both programs.
The region is also suspected of housing North KoreaÂ’s covert uranium enrichment program.

North Korea was a recipient of goods and equipment provided by the global nuclear supplier network headed by Pakistani A.Q. Khan. The equipment included gas centrifuges used to produce highly enriched uranium.
Thanks, Perv. Your actions contributed greatly to world peace.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf stated in a recently published book that the Khan network supplied centrifuges to North Korea.
Posted by:Alaska Paul

#6  How can underground test preparations be watched closely, anyway? Same goes for the subways built in Iran.

Please read "Deep Black" by William Burrows (no, not that William Burroughs). Underground construction always relies upon above-ground apparatus and support infrastructure. Just the mountain of soil removed from a tunnel is conspicuous to satellite reconnaisance. Need I mention how it is that we look for oil with satellites? Ever heard of side-scanning radar? GPR?
Posted by: Zenster   2006-10-05 16:55  

#5   I thought the NORK's had thousands of tunnels, many of them close to the DMZ, aimed toward SK and consisting of artillery emplacements ready to launch an all-out assault on their intended victims southern relatives.
How can underground test preparations be watched closely, anyway? Same goes for the subways built in Iran.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2006-10-05 16:24  

#4  Tunnels 1 & 2 are for Norks; 3 & 4 for Iran.

Tunnel 5 is for Kim.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2006-10-05 16:22  

#3  Ok tunnel one has the Nork test. Tunnel 2 the Iranian test, tunnels 3, 4, & 5?

Posted by: 3dc   2006-10-05 15:07  

#2  NS, this is precisely what needs to happen. We must cripple North Korea's entire atomic weapons test facility in order to prevent them from gaining a scintilla of increased credibility in their marketing and proliferation of nuclear technology to rogue and terrorist regimes.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-10-05 15:00  

#1  Wouldn't it be something if there were five concurrent tests in the five tunnels?
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-10-05 14:53  

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