• published: 12 Feb 2013
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2 April 2013 Breaking news North Korea vowed Tuesday to restart all nuclear complex facilities end times news update 4-2-13 SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea vowed Tuesday to restart all mothballed facilities at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, adding to tensions already raised by near daily warlike threats against the United States and South Korea. The reactor was shut down in 2007 as part of international nuclear disarmament talks that have since stalled. A spokesman for the General Department of Atomic Energy said that the facilities to be restarted are a graphite-moderated 5 megawatt reactor, which generates spent fuel rods laced with plutonium and is the core of the Yongbyon nuclear complex. The reactor, when fully running, is capable of churning out one atomic bomb worth of plutonium — the most common fuel in nuclear weapons a year. The move will boost fears in Washington and among its allies about North Korea's push for nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States technology. North Korea added the 5-megawatt, graphite-moderated reactor to its nuclear complex in 1986 after seven years of construction. The country began building a 50-megawatt and a 200 megawatt reactor in 1984, but their construction was suspended under a 1994 nuclear deal with Washington. North Korea has long said that the reactor operation is aimed at generating electricity. It takes about 8,000 fuel rods to run the reactor. Reprocessing the spent fuel rods after a year of reactor operation could yield about 7 kilograms of plutonium — enough to make at least one nuclear bomb, experts say. 2013 Iran nuclear chief Fakhrizadeh-Mahabadi at North Korea Nuclear test - End Times News Update Iranian nuclear chief was present at North Korean A-bomb test, reports Sunday Times. by joelcrosenberg Iran continues to strenuously deny it wants nuclear weapons or is actively pursuing them. Yet the evidence continues to say the exact opposite. Now there are new and credible reports that Iran is working closely with North Korea to join develop The Bomb, and that the recent North Korean nuclear weapons test was done in close coordination with Iran, even with Iranian nuclear officials present to observe the test. "Iran's leading nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh Mahabadi, is believed to have travelled to North Korea to observe its third nuclear test last week, according to western intelligence sources," reports the Sunday Times of London. "Fakhrizadeh-Mahabadi has ventured outside Iran rarely, if at all, since several Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated in attacks blamed by Tehran on the Israeli intelligence service Mossad," reports the Times. "He is in charge of developing a warhead small enough to fit on to one of the ballistic missiles developed by Iran from North Korean prototypes, the sources said. His trip may have been worth the risk because North Korea's triumphant announcement of the blast hinted that it was a compact, powerful device." the New York Times reported "The two countries have long cooperated on missile technology, and many intelligence officials believe they share nuclear knowledge as well, though so far there is no hard evidence. The Iranians are also pursuing uranium enrichment, and one senior American official said two weeks ago that 'it's very possible that the North Koreans are testing for two countries.' Some believe that the country may have been planning two simultaneous tests, but it could take time to sort out the data." Iran, North Korea sign agreement on scientific, academic, technological cooperation -- The Islamic Republic of Iran and North Korea on Saturday signed a document on expansion of mutual cooperation in scientific, academic and technological know-how between the two countries. (Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA) Iranian officials 'observed North Korean rocket launch' -- A dozen officials from Iran's controversial ballistic missiles programme were present in North Korea last week to witness the failed rocket launch, according to reports. (UK Telegraph) "Very possible" that the North Koreans are testing nuclear bombs for Iran, says U.S. official. Analysis: Pyongyang nuke test may also be Iranian -- Expert warns Tehran may be bypassing int'l inspections via North Korea, says Iranian scientists may have been present at test. (Jerusalem Post) Analysis: Why Iran Already Has the Bomb -- If North Korea has the bomb, as this week's nuclear test indicated, then for all practical purposes, so does Iran. (The Tablet) Iranians in North Korea? (Jeffrey Lewis, Director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Dr. Lewis also founded and maintains the leading blog on nuclear arms control and nonproliferation, ArmsControlWonk.com.) February 2013 Breaking news "Very possible" that the North Koreans are testing nuclear bombs for Iran, says U.S. official