Cyber-war columnist, Charles R. Smith (softwar.net(1)), one of America's leading experts on cyber technology, war, and gaming, discussed North Korea's nuclear capability, as well as the history and idiosyncrasies of their dictator Kim Jong Il.
Recent satellite imagery shows the North Koreans have been digging deep into a mountainside and building large viewing stands nearby. According to Smith, this data points to a coming underground nuclear test on the Korean peninsula. If Kim Jong Il develops a nuclear weapon, Smith hypothesized, he will probably use it on South Korea and/or Japan. Kim "really doesn't care" about the repercussions of launching a nuclear attack against his enemies, Smith said.
Smith detailed some of the weapons in Kim's arsenal, including 200 Nodong missiles with a 1,000 mile range and capability of carrying nuclear weapons, 650 to 800 Scud missiles, and a longer range missile-type called Taepo Dong. Much of the technology used to create North Korea's weapons came from China, Smith reported. "North Korea is to China as lips are to teeth," he said, suggesting their weapons program has been significantly advanced by the Chinese. Smith also forecasted that China may one day take over North Korea as it attempts to "reunify lost cultures back to the motherland."

1. http://www.softwar.net/

China's Missile Program

In 2001, China acquired advanced Raduga Kh-55 cruise missiles from the Ukraine. The missiles, which were delivered to Beijing without nuclear warheads, have a range of more than 1,500 miles and can be armed with an advanced 200-kiloton nuclear payload. In a recent NewsMax column(1), Charles R. Smith speculates that Chinese weapons engineers could "easily manufacture a small diameter atomic weapon to arm the tiny force of Kh-55 missiles." Read more here(2).

1. http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/4/11/90752.shtml
2. http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/4/11/90752.shtml

Bumper Music

Bumper music from Monday May 16, 2005