Text fwd: N. Korean nuclear bases pose greatest threat: S. Korean commander

*Image source: Same as the article below

Yonhap News
2009/09/24 14:00 KST
By Sam Kim

SEOUL, Sept. 24 (Yonhap) -- Potential North Korean nuclear bases pose the greatest security threat to South Korea and will come under "swift and precise attacks" in the event of war between the two countries, a four-star South Korean general told lawmakers Thursday.

North Korea is believed to have up to 40kg of plutonium, enough to produce at least six nuclear bombs, according to a statement by Lee Sang-eui, picked as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

South Korea and the United States have yet to formally recognize North Korea as a nuclear weapons state, even though the country set off two underground atomic explosions in 2006 and May this year.

The communist state said earlier this year that it would weaponize all new plutonium it extracts from its facilities, vowing to use nuclear bombs in retaliatory attacks against outside foes.

Speaking at a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Lee said South Korea has a list of "major targets" its forces would strike first should a conflict erupt with North Korea.

Nuclear weaponry "is a target that would pose the greatest threat in war," Lee said, vowing to "mobilize all means available to precisely and swiftly strike" North Korean bases armed with it.

Last week, Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said in a separate confirmation hearing that he has knowledge of sites where the North Korean military could be storing its nuclear arsenal.

Lee refrained from discussing the sites at Thursday's hearing, only saying his forces have set up an operational "plan to strike the most immediate security threats" during a conflict.

In a pre-hearing statement, Lee also expressed hope that South Korea will step up its efforts to compete with North Korea in the development of missile technology.

South Korea is under a voluntary ban on the development of missiles to not exceed a range of 300km and a throw-weight of 500kg, backed by the U.S. which has 28,500 troops stationed here.

South Korea has been under increasing domestic pressure to exit the ban since North Korea in April launched a long-range rocket that could be converted into a ballistic missile.

"North Korea is threatening us with missiles" of various ranges, Lee said in the statement.

"We, too, need to possess further improved missile capabilities," he said, expressing willingness to look into "long-term measures to reinforce" them.

The two Koreas remain technically at war, as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire instead of a peace treaty.

samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)


*Related articles

Yonhap News
2009/09/24 10:57 KST
S. Korea should seek better missiles to match N. Korean threat: commander

Korea Times
09-24-2009 22:16
JCS Chief Nominee Vows Surgical Strikes on NK
By Jung Sung-ki Staff Reporter


* Related blogs

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/09/text-fwd-us-designates-n-korea-among.html
Sept. 15, 2009
Text Fwd: U.S. designates N. Korea among four countries challenging U.S. interests
Yonhap News

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/09/text-fwd-us-braces-for-possible-nuke.html
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Text Fwd: 'US Braces for Possible Nuke War With NK'
Korea Times